DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjmcr.2026.v14i04.002

Pages: 600-603

Purpose: The rational use of medicines remains a major challenge in healthcare systems in resource-limited countries. Beyond quantitative indicators, understanding the perceptions, representations, and experiences of prescribers is essential for explaining their prescribing practices. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted from March to July 2023 in the Community Health Centers (CSCom) and the Reference Health Center (CSRef) of Commune I of Bamako. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with prescribers selected through purposive sampling for this study. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted according to Braun and Clarke’s approach. Results: The analysis revealed five major themes: (1) plural representation of rational prescription, often reduced to compliance with protocols; (2) tension between therapeutic norms and clinical realities; (3) ambivalent perception of drugs in INNs; (4) the weight of structural and socio-economic constraints; and (5) needs expressed in terms of training and support. Prescription appears to be a permanent compromise between scientific ideals and field constraints. Conclusion: Prescribers’ perceptions revealed a partial appropriation of the concept of rational prescriptions. The practices observed can be explained more by systemic constraints than by a lack of knowledge. Future interventions should incorporate the lived experiences of the prescribers.