Background: Pediatric prescription patterns are crucial for ensuring appropriate and effective treatments for children. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides pointers to evaluate the quality and safety of drug prescriptions. However, comprehensive analysis of these patterns using WHO indicators remains limited. Aim: This study aims to analyze pediatric prescription patterns using WHO prescribing indicators to identify trends, deviations, and areas for improvement in pediatric healthcare. Methods: A retrospective observational research was performed which analyzed prescription patterns using WHO prescribing indicators. Data were collected from patient records, focusing on variables such as the average no. of drugs in each prescription, percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name, antibiotics, injections, and drugs from the essential medicines list. Results: The study revealed significant deviations from WHO prescribing indicators, highlighting areas for enhancement in rational drug use. The findings showed a moderate level of polypharmacy with an average of 3.1 drugs per prescription. Only 35% of drugs were prescribed by their generic names, indicating a need to enhance the use of cost-effective and accessible medications. Antibiotics were prescribed in 55% of cases, which raises concerns about potential antibiotic resistance and underscores the necessity of implementing antibiotic stewardship programs. Injections were included in 20% of prescriptions, aligning moderately with WHO guidelines but requiring ongoing monitoring to prevent unnecessary use. Although 75% of prescribed drugs were from the important list of medicines, there is still room for improvement to achieve optimal adherence to WHO standards. Conclusion: The analysis reveals significant deviations from WHO recommendations, particularly the high use of antibiotics and relatively low prescription of generic drugs. These patterns highlight the need for targeted interventions to encourage rational prescribing practices in pediatric healthcare.

Background: Pediatric prescription patterns are crucial for ensuring appropriate and effective treatments for children. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides pointers to evaluate the quality and safety of drug prescriptions. However, comprehensive analysis of these patterns using WHO indicators remains limited. Aim: This study aims to analyze pediatric prescription patterns using WHO prescribing indicators to identify trends, deviations, and areas for improvement in pediatric healthcare. Methods: A retrospective observational research was performed which analyzed prescription patterns using WHO prescribing indicators. Data were collected from patient records, focusing on variables such as the average no. of drugs in each prescription, percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name, antibiotics, injections, and drugs from the essential medicines list. Results: The study revealed significant deviations from WHO prescribing indicators, highlighting areas for enhancement in rational drug use. The findings showed a moderate level of polypharmacy with an average of 3.1 drugs per prescription. Only 35% of drugs were prescribed by their generic names, indicating a need to enhance the use of cost-effective and accessible medications. Antibiotics were prescribed in 55% of cases, which raises concerns about potential antibiotic resistance and underscores the necessity of implementing antibiotic stewardship programs. Injections were included in 20% of prescriptions, aligning moderately with WHO guidelines but requiring ongoing monitoring to prevent unnecessary use. Although 75% of prescribed drugs were from the important list of medicines, there is still room for improvement to achieve optimal adherence to WHO standards. Conclusion: The analysis reveals significant deviations from WHO recommendations, particularly the high use of antibiotics and relatively low prescription of generic drugs. These patterns highlight the need for targeted interventions to encourage rational prescribing practices in pediatric healthcare.