Rational drug use is an important approach to promoting medication safety and improving the quality of the country’s healthcare system. It aims to ensure that people receive medicines that are appropriate for their medical conditions and use them at the correct dosage and for the appropriate duration, while ensuring effectiveness and cost-effectiveness and reducing the risks associated with inappropriate medication use.
Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) play a vital role in promoting health and providing healthcare to people at the community level. As they are closely connected to local communities, they are well positioned to provide health advice, monitor health-related problems, and continuously disseminate health knowledge. Therefore, enhancing the capacity of VHVs by providing them with knowledge and understanding of rational drug use is an important step toward strengthening an effective community-based health network and reducing the risks associated with inappropriate medication use within communities.
Objectives of the Project
- To promote knowledge and understanding of rational drug use among Village Health Volunteers (VHVs), enabling them to provide advice and disseminate knowledge on the correct, safe, and appropriate use of medicines to people in the community.
- To raise awareness of safe medication use, reduce inappropriate drug use, and prevent problems resulting from improper medication practices.
- To strengthen health literacy and promote the ability of people to appropriately take care of their own health and the health of their families.
- To support the role of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Burapha University, in providing academic services to society and establishing collaborative health networks with communities.
Project Implementation
The project was conducted on 14 July 2026 at Saen Suk Municipality, Chon Buri Province, with 300 Village Health Volunteers participating in the activity.
The resource person, Assistant Professor Dr. Nattaya Chaothanaphat, delivered a lecture on “Rational Drug Use.” The session provided knowledge on the principles of appropriate medicine selection, safe medication use, and precautions related to medicine use. The training aimed to promote effective medication use and reduce the risks associated with inappropriate drug use among the participating Village Health Volunteers.
The knowledge provided through this activity is expected to enhance the VHVs’ knowledge and skills in rational drug use, enabling them to apply what they have learned to appropriately care for their own health, their families, and people in their communities. The project also contributes to the development of a network of community-level health leaders who can continuously disseminate knowledge about appropriate medication use. This, in turn, can extend the impact of the project to a broader population.
The project is expected to help reduce health problems resulting from incorrect medication use, reduce healthcare costs arising from irrational drug use, and minimize household economic losses caused by unnecessary expenditure on medicines and medical treatment.
Furthermore, the project contributes to improving the health literacy of the population through the network of Village Health Volunteers, who serve as an important mechanism within the primary healthcare system. It promotes rational drug use, reduces inequalities in access to health knowledge, and strengthens communities’ capacity to manage and take care of their own health. Ultimately, these efforts contribute to improving people’s quality of life and supporting the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system.
Project Leader: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wantana Reanmongkol, Pharm.D., Pharmacy Manager of Burapha Pharma Care (BPC)
