Análisis del impacto del COVID-19 en Farmacias Comunitarias independientes y de cadena de la ciudad de Riobamba, provincia de Chimborazo

Abstract

The research project aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on independent and chain community pharmacies in the city of Riobamba, province of Chimborazo during the period of March-November 2020, through a qualitative, observational, descriptive, and non-experimental study. The instrument used was a survey with questions that were validated by professionals in the health field, in such a way that, that through the formula of finite populations, it was obtained that the total of pharmacies to be surveyed was 157, these were chosen randomly in popular sectors of the city and close to health centers. Subsequently, the data analysis showed that 100% of independent pharmacies and 35.56% of chain pharmacies were out of stock in terms of medicines, 81.53% in medical supplies, and 65.60% in vitamin supplements, on the first three months of the pandemic. In addition, it was determined that the factors related to work risk within the community pharmacies in turn of COVID-19 included: age, time of appearance of various complications such as sepsis and acute respiratory distress, acute heart disease insufficiency, acute kidney injury, and, secondary infection. The drugs that rotated the most in the community pharmacies that had been surveyed were: antivirals (Oseltamivir), antiparasitics (Colufase, Ivermectin), antibiotics (azithromycin and amoxicillin), antimalarials (hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine), NSAIDs (paracetamol, ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid), antihypertensive, expectorants, anesthetics; vitamin supplements (vitamin C, Birm®), and medical supplies (masks, antiseptic gel, and alcohol). Finally, the factors through the Chi-square test, where it was shown that the type of pharmacy does get affected, on whether there was a shortage by their drug suppliers, vitamins supplements or supplies in the period of March-November 2020 since the majority of providers belong to chain pharmacies.