This study assessed the frequency of and rationale for use of injections at health care facilities
in Egypt based on WHO core drug use indicators. We reviewed 1406 prescriptions in 43 randomly
selected hospitals and primary health care clinics in 2 governorates in Upper and Lower Egypt in 2001.
Patients received an injection at 18.1% of encounters. The most frequently prescribed parenteral drugs
were anti-infectives (56.9% of injections) and analgesics (13.7%). Injections were more often prescribed
in hospitals than in primary health care clinics and in rural than in urban settings. Most injections (94.7%)
could have been replaced by a suitable oral preparation. Further efforts are needed to enforce the essential
medicines programme in Egypt to improve rational drug prescribing.