Interventions
RTI, PCP
PCPs in the intervention arm were provided with CRP test kits (the kits were specially produced for the trial by Zhuhai Encode Medical Engineering Co., Ltd, China) and other test materials, and their staff were trained on how to use the kits and how to use test results to distinguish viral and bacterial etiologies in patients with suspected RTI without prescriptions in order to make more effective decisions regarding antibiotic dispensation. The CRP test kits were semi-quantitative in nature. The cost of a single CRP test kit was 0.75 $. The test involves using finger prick blood to assess the level of CRP in the blood. Each test takes just over 5 minutes. It has been shown that CRP concentrations >30 mg/l in patients with RTI are of great importance in the identification of RTI that should be managed with antibiotics Training, which included practical demonstration, was carried out in each PCP by a pharmacist and a medical laboratory technician. The training was delivered, by the same professionals, in the same way across the board. The staff of PCPs were provided with training materials. They were asked to charge no more than 400 Nigerian Naira (approximately 1 $) per CRP test in order to ensure that low-income patients were not excluded. They were followed up regularly throughout the post-intervention period, and any problems they had were addressed. PCPs in the control arm received no intervention.