To the best our knowledge this is the first study to assess and explore the preparedness of pharmacies and pharmacy professionals to prevent and control the pandemic disease COVID-19 in Ethiopia. The study found necessary preparedness measures were undertaken to control the current public health threat of COVID-19 regarding pharmacy service. In line with other studies recommendations [12, 13], community and hospital pharmacists were working at the frontline to combat the pandemic disease. This helps in the urgent control of public health emergencies like COVID-19.
The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and other studies recommend, in addition to the usual services provided, ensuring pertinent pharmacy service is required to prevent and control COVID-19. This includes ensuring adequate storage and supply of drugs and medical supplies, promoting rational drug use, point of care tests, and working in collaboration and reporting any suspected case to the responsible body [6, 8, 11, 13,14,15]. Similarly, the present study has revealed the pertinent pharmacy services were evidenced although supply of some drugs and medical supplies were scarce.
The tendency of customers to false claims of medical products and assumptions that helps to detect, prevent and control was showed especially in the introduction of the pandemic disease. The WHO medical product alert No. 3/2020 has warned health providers, responsible bodies, and customers to work against the production of falsified medical products [16]. Later on, customers were getting informed as there was no approved drug or vaccine for the treatment and prevention of the disease. Similarly, the FIP and Sandres et al reported no cure has been found to date [17, 18]. Although the American Food and Drug Administration has authorized an emergency drug Remdesiver which showed an effect against COVID-19 [19, 20], our finding implicates customers should adhere the counseling tips given by pharmacy professionals to keep themselves free from the pandemic disease.
Similar to our finding, public health emergencies like COVID-19 need a multidisciplinary effort to control and improve patients treatment outcome [12]. Due to the more accessible nature of community pharmacies, linking patients who are suspected to COVID-19 to healthcare system is feasible and more helpful to contain the pandemic disease [21, 22]. In addition; staff shifting, backup plans, alternative pharmacy services and other intervention mechanisms should be considered to halt the spread of the disease.
Patients presented with no symptoms of COVID-19 should be provided evidence based information and advice [23]. Population with different age group and disease classification might visit these pharmacies for service. All infection prevention and control measures should be considered meticulously including in healthcare settings [24, 25]. The study revealed, customers were learned to be calmed and get informed all the prevention strategies to cope with COVID-19 as some guidelines recommend [24, 26]. This eases the scrutinized and collaborative control of the pandemic disease. Similar to our finding, pharmacy professionals can found updated evidence about COVID-19 in various databases, web pages and social media outlets about COVID-19 [27].
As the present study disclosed, the population seems to be careless and loose in strictly following the instructions given to prevent and control the pandemic disease. This might be due to the country and worldwide economic recession and other factors imposed as of the lockdown. This imply the government and other responsible body to take a proactive measures to solve the problem [28, 29].
Limitation of the study
Our study has limitations. Due to the nature of the study design and as the study was conducted in one of the large cities in Ethiopia but with limited number of pharmacies, the findings may not be generalizable. However, our finding would add to the growing literature particularly in the area of pharmacy service in public health emergencies and pharmacy preparedness to prevent and control the pandemic COVID-19 in Ethiopia, and other LMICs.