Background and Objectives: Compliance of community pharmacies with the proper practice of storage and dispensing of medicines is crucial for ensuring the quality and safety of medicines, particularly with the circumstance of recurrent electricity blackout in Libya. This study was aimed to assess the compliance of community pharmacies with the proper practice of drug storage in Tripoli city, Libya. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey conducted in November 2020 targeting a total of 56 community pharmacies in Tripoli, Libya. The questionnaire was adapted from the WHO Checklist for Good Storage Practices and included 41 questions organized under five sections: socio-demographics, pharmacist’s attitude toward the quality of storage practices, queries on environmental storage conditions, the quality of facilities in the community pharmacy, and queries on storage and pharmacy practices. Data were presented as descriptive statistics. Results: Out of the total 56 visited pharmacies, a total of 46 (82.1%) pharmacists participated in the study with one pharmacist being interviewed in every pharmacy. Results showed that 15% of employees reported variety of cleanliness regulatory depending on cutting off running water circumstances in Tripoli and other reasons. About 78.8% participants observed dust in shelves and over the drugs packaging, and 22% of the participant pharmacies’ drugs exposure to direct sunlight. Additionally, 72% of employee experienced high temperatures in the pharmacy during electricity blackouts, whereas only 48% of them experienced humidity. In addition, 91.4% had alternative source of electricity, 44.3% had a power backup connected to the refrigerators. Conclusion: The compliance of majority of the community pharmacies operated in Tripoli is below standard. There is still need to improve the storage practices in the community pharmacies by obeying with the regulatory standards as specified by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Libya.
Ahmed Elbadri M Atia(5-2021)

This study was primarily conducted to investigate the prevalence of imported malaria in a sample of foreign workers (n-1038) in Tripoli during the period from May 2006 to June 2007. A comprehensive review of malaria epidemiology in Libya in the last two decades was also given. All samples were tested serologically using Malaria Rapid Diagnostic test and then examined using blood film technique. Results showed that only 10 samples (1%) were tested positive for both malaria rapid diagnostic test and blood film. Nine of those infected were identified as Plasmodium falciparum and one as Plasmodium vivax. This study confirms that the prevalence of malaria in legal foreign workers is low and the risk of re-introducing or transmitting malaria in the northern areas of the country is remote. It also gives no good reason for including malaria test among those requested for issuing health certificates to foreign workers. The use of malaria Rapid Diagnostic test for malaria detection in this study was proved to be practical and reliable. Although, the situation of imported malaria in Libya imposes no immediate threat to re-emerging of malaria in the country however, continuous surveillance and monitoring particularly to the southern regions and populations have to be taken in a great consideration. An updated new map of malaria vectors distribution in Libya is urgently needed to be able to outline areas of high risk of malaria transmission.
Fadwa Jamaledden Mustafa Kamel Mahanay, Badereddin Bashir K. Annajar(5-2009)

Background: Management of partially edentulous patients with hard and soft tissue undercuts is complicated, and the use of flexible dentures for these cases offers dual advantages of aesthetics and flexibility. However, research shows a varying preference for flexible dentures among general dental practitioners, prosthodontists, and other dental specialties. Objectives: The aim of this study was to survey the attitude and awareness of a sample of Libyan dental clinicians towards advantages, disadvantages, indications, and contraindications of flexible dentures. Material and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 dentists currently practicing in different cities of Libya. Only 218 dentists responded. Using Google form software, a self-administrable e-questionnaire consisting of thirty-one multiple choice questions with "yes," "no" or "not sure" answers encompassing major aspects of flexible dentures was conducted through an online survey. Results: Out of 250 Libyan dentists to whom the questionnaire was sent, only 218 dentists responded and our results revealed that the respondents were females more than males with a ratio (2:1) and more than half of them were of age group (35-60 years) work in governmental dental practice with more than ten years of experience and 34.9% of them prefer and often offer flexible dentures to their patients. The majority of respondents with a long-term success of the flexible denture were prosthodontists who had more than ten years of experience with a correct response rate of more than 50% of questions that reflected their attitude and knowledge. Conclusions: Despite the fact that flexible dentures are not taught in Libyan universities of dentistry, about more than one-third of respondents prefer and recommend this treatment to their patients, and the long-term success of these prostheses was dependent on clinicians' education and their clinical experience.
Yusra Muftah Saad Elfaidy, Warida Abdalla Elnaihoum, Aseidah Abdullah Elgotrany(4-2022)