Background: Tracer drugs are the representative of essential medicines and satisfy the priority healthcare needs of the population. Managing tracer drugs through logistics management information systems is a strategy to enhance their smooth flow for continuous provision of quality health service. This study assessed the availability of tracer drugs and implementation of their logistic management information system in public health facilities of Dessie, NorthEast Ethiopia. Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted from September 15-30, 2017, in all public health facilities of Dessie. The data were collected by reviewing tracer drugs logistic formats and conducting physical inventory. Key informant interview was employed to all pharmacy heads and store managers. Data analysis was done using statistical package for social science version 20 and Microsoft Excel 2010. Results: Twelve tracer drugs were managed by health facilities. The overall mean availability, mean duration, and average frequency of stock out of tracer drugs (last 6 months) were 74.7%, 48.8 days, and 1.43, respectively. In eight health facilities, logistic records were available, but all health facilities did not use stock cards. Also, 3 out of 9 used the health commodity management information system. On average, 77.8% of the tracer drugs had bin cards, of which, 86% were updated. The discrepancy between physical count and stock keeping records was ranged from 0% to 100%. The causes of stock out were inadequate supply, lack of recording forms, and their inconsistent use. Conclusion and Recommendations: The availability of tracer drugs was less than the recommended percent, and inadequate supply, poor availability and use of recording forms were the reasons for stock out. Thus, health facility managers and pharmacy heads should work in harmony to ensure uninterrupted supply and implement a logistic management information system.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the prevalence, categories and predictors of drug-related hospitalisation (DRH) among patients visiting emergency departments of Addis Ababa city hospitals, Ethiopia.DesignA multicentre prospective observational study was conducted through patients’ interview and chart review.SettingsThe study was undertaken in three tertiary care hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.ParticipantsA total of 423 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included.Outcome measuresPrevalence and preventability of DRH, categories of drug-related problems causing DRH, medications and diseases involved in DRH, and factors significantly associated with DRH.ResultMore than half of the patients (216, 51.1%) were female. The mean age (SD) was 47.50 (±17.21) years. The mean length of hospital stay (SD) was 10.29 (±8.99) days. Nearly 60% (249) of them were hospitalised due to drug-related problems, of which 87.8% were preventable. The cause for hospitalisation for more than half (130, 53%) of them was a failure to receive drugs, and 37.85 (94) patients were categorised as untreated indications. Age ≥65 years (adjusted OR (AOR)=7.451, 95% CI: 1.889 to 29.397), tertiary educational level (AOR=0.360, 95% CI: 0.141 to 0.923), participants who did not have any occupation (AOR=3.409, 95% CI: 1.120 to 10.374) and presence of comorbid conditions (AOR=2.004, 95% CI: 1.095 to 3.668) were predictors of DRH.ConclusionNearly 90% of DRH was deemed to be preventable in the study settings. Older age, lower educational level, unemployment and presence of comorbid conditions in hospital as an inpatient were predictors of DRH.