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A 7-year-old child was admitted to the paediatric ward at yo…

A 7-year-old child was admitted to the paediatric ward at your facility. The child presented with a 2-week history of cough and generalised lymphadenopathy and the consulting paediatrician recommended a tuberculosis (TB) test. The urine LAM antigen test was positive, and sputum samples collected via nasogastric aspirate confirmed TB on GeneXpert. Hilar lymphadenopathy was evident on chest x-ray. The child was underweight (–2 to –3 z-score), HIV negative, and had failure to thrive. The child was initiated on the recommended first-line intensive-phase TB treatment consisting of a fixed-dose combination of rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide (available as dispersible tablet or oral suspension) and ethambutol (available as tablet or oral suspension). At the follow up appointment, four weeks later, the caregiver informed the paediatrician that the child has been resisting taking the medication, affecting adherence to treatment. The paediatrician has requested you to assist with developing a pharmaceutical care plan for the child.1     As part of developing a pharmaceutical care plan for this child, identify five potential medication-related problems that need to be addressed, providing specific examples for each. (10)2     Propose five pharmacist-led strategies to ensure adherence to TB therapy for the child and justify why each strategy is likely to succeed. (10)

Traces of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs have recently been dete…

Traces of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs have recently been detected in South Africa’s drinking water. While current levels are low, prolonged exposure may contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Improper disposal of unused or expired ARVs as pharmaceutical waste may worsen this problem.Critically evaluate the effectiveness of three pharmaceutical waste disposal methods, highlighting one strength and one limitation of each in preventing environmental contamination by ARV drugs. (6)