Abstract

The Ministry of Health in Uganda has raised awareness about the dangers of analgesic selfmedication,
but many Ugandans still use painkillers alongside antibiotics without a
prescription. A study conducted at Bweramule Health Center III, Ntoroko District, found that
52% of patients took leftover analgesics from prescriptions, 62.2% received them from
friends and family, 57.8% followed painkiller drug advertisements, 55.5% self-memed with
other drugs, and 64.2% believed minor diseases were more likely to cause self-medication.
Most patients could travel 5-10 kilometers for a prescription, and 74.4% of analgesics were
out of stock in health facilities. 78.9% of patients reported doctors being absent to prescribe
for them, 65.6% reported that health workers did not mistreat patients, and 86.7% reported
long waiting times for prescribed analgesics. Both individual and facility-related factors
influenced self-medication with analgesics