Deficient supplies of drugs for life threatening diseases in an African community

Abstract

Background: In Malawi essential drugs are provided free of charge to patients at all public health facilities in order to ensure equitable access to health care. The country thereby spends about 30% of the national health budget on drugs. In order to investigate the level of drug shortages and eventually find the reasons for the drugs shortages in Malawi, we studied the management of the drug supplies for common and life threatening diseases such as pneumonia and malaria in a random selection of health centres.

Towards malaria elimination and its implication for vector control, disease management and livelihoods in Tanzania

“…The main reasons for stockout of antimalarials at public health facilities are poor forecasting and quantification [ 101 ]. Similar findings have been reported from Kenya [ 102 ] and Malawi [ 103 ]. In addition to frequent stockout of antimalarial drugs, malaria case management in Tanzania is facing a number of challenges in terms of the quality of antimalarial drugs.…”

Towards malaria elimination and its implication for vector control, disease management and livelihoods in Tanzania

“…The main reasons for stockout of antimalarials at public health facilities are poor forecasting and quantification [ 101 ]. Similar findings have been reported from Kenya [ 102 ] and Malawi [ 103 ]. In addition to frequent stockout of antimalarial drugs, malaria case management in Tanzania is facing a number of challenges in terms of the quality of antimalarial drugs.…”

Compliance of public health facilities with essential medicines and health supplies redistribution guidelines in Mbale district, Eastern Uganda: a mixed-methods study

“…The knowledge gap affects stock management practices and compliance with the guidelines. This finding is supported by a study done in Malawi to investigate the management of drug supplies for life-threatening diseases, which showed that training in the management of medicines affected their availability [ 40 ]. Gaps in knowledge affect the ability of staff to appropriately quantify and make projections when planning, further causing mal-distribution and expiries, as pointed out in a study done in Uganda [ 41 ].…”

Got ACTs? Availability, price, market share and provider knowledge of anti-malarial medicines in public and private sector outlets in six malaria-endemic countries

“…This suggests that maintaining a consistent supply to public health facilities may be difficult, a finding supported by other facility based research, which also highlights stock-outs as a common problem in public health facilities [31]. …”

“…When observing stocking rates for all public health facilities, availability of ACT hovered around 80%, but in Nigeria less than half of facilities had a quality assured ACT in stock. This suggests that maintaining a consistent supply to public health facilities may be difficult, a finding supported by other facility based research, which also highlights stock-outs as a common problem in public health facilities [ 31 ].…”

Towards malaria elimination and its implication for vector control, disease management and livelihoods in Tanzania

“…The main reasons for stockout of antimalarials at public health facilities are poor forecasting and quantification [ 101 ]. Similar findings have been reported from Kenya [ 102 ] and Malawi [ 103 ]. In addition to frequent stockout of antimalarial drugs, malaria case management in Tanzania is facing a number of challenges in terms of the quality of antimalarial drugs.…”

Compliance of public health facilities with essential medicines and health supplies redistribution guidelines in Mbale district, Eastern Uganda: a mixed-methods study

“…The knowledge gap affects stock management practices and compliance with the guidelines. This finding is supported by a study done in Malawi to investigate the management of drug supplies for life-threatening diseases, which showed that training in the management of medicines affected their availability [ 40 ]. Gaps in knowledge affect the ability of staff to appropriately quantify and make projections when planning, further causing mal-distribution and expiries, as pointed out in a study done in Uganda [ 41 ].…”

Got ACTs? Availability, price, market share and provider knowledge of anti-malarial medicines in public and private sector outlets in six malaria-endemic countries

“…This suggests that maintaining a consistent supply to public health facilities may be difficult, a finding supported by other facility based research, which also highlights stock-outs as a common problem in public health facilities [31]. …”

“…When observing stocking rates for all public health facilities, availability of ACT hovered around 80%, but in Nigeria less than half of facilities had a quality assured ACT in stock. This suggests that maintaining a consistent supply to public health facilities may be difficult, a finding supported by other facility based research, which also highlights stock-outs as a common problem in public health facilities [ 31 ].…”

Towards malaria elimination and its implication for vector control, disease management and livelihoods in Tanzania

“…The main reasons for stockout of antimalarials at public health facilities are poor forecasting and quantification [ 101 ]. Similar findings have been reported from Kenya [ 102 ] and Malawi [ 103 ]. In addition to frequent stockout of antimalarial drugs, malaria case management in Tanzania is facing a number of challenges in terms of the quality of antimalarial drugs.…”

Compliance of public health facilities with essential medicines and health supplies redistribution guidelines in Mbale district, Eastern Uganda: a mixed-methods study

“…The knowledge gap affects stock management practices and compliance with the guidelines. This finding is supported by a study done in Malawi to investigate the management of drug supplies for life-threatening diseases, which showed that training in the management of medicines affected their availability [ 40 ]. Gaps in knowledge affect the ability of staff to appropriately quantify and make projections when planning, further causing mal-distribution and expiries, as pointed out in a study done in Uganda [ 41 ].…”

Got ACTs? Availability, price, market share and provider knowledge of anti-malarial medicines in public and private sector outlets in six malaria-endemic countries

“…This suggests that maintaining a consistent supply to public health facilities may be difficult, a finding supported by other facility based research, which also highlights stock-outs as a common problem in public health facilities [31]. …”

“…When observing stocking rates for all public health facilities, availability of ACT hovered around 80%, but in Nigeria less than half of facilities had a quality assured ACT in stock. This suggests that maintaining a consistent supply to public health facilities may be difficult, a finding supported by other facility based research, which also highlights stock-outs as a common problem in public health facilities [ 31 ].…”