UST Faculty of Pharmacy faculty members Inst. Roi Martin B. Pajimna, Assoc. Prof. Agnes L. Castillo, PhD, and Dean Aleth Therese L. Dacanay, PhD were awarded Second Place in the research poster competition hosted by the University of the Philippines – National Institutes of Health on the occasion of its 24th anniversary. The said competition took place from March 2-4, 2022.
The research poster entitled “Monitoring Aminoglycoside Therapy in Neonates: Gaps and Opportunities in a Resource-Limited Setting” used as a backdrop the problem of neonatal infections in low- to middle-income countries like the Philippines as a significant contributor to mortality among newborns. The study focused on the use and monitoring of aminoglycoside among newborns in an urban, public, and resource-limited hospital in Manila and identified gaps in the clinical use of the same. The identified gaps were the bases for identified opportunities for improvement of therapeutic drug monitoring in pediatrics.
The study utilized both a review of records of patients and wards, as well as interviews with practicing pediatricians, which together provided data for the gap analysis. Among the gaps identified are the absence of clinical pharmacists, insufficient diagnostic protocol for sepsis, and the lack of healthcare TDM knowledge and absence of TDM protocols. The authors provided recommendations to address these gaps and ensure better healthcare. “These findings could serve as the bases in formulating strategic directions to improve the practices of aminoglycoside use and monitoring to ensure patient safety and quality of care.”
