Challenges in procurement of pharmaceuticals in Jimma University Specialized Hospital

Abstract

Public procurement is a key tool to the overall achievements of development goals such as reducing poverty and providing health, infrastructure, education and other services hence immensely contribute to best utilization of public resources. Despite its importance, limited scientific research has been undertaken to examine challenges of procurement in public institutions in the case of Health institutions. This study aimed to examine challenges in procurement of pharmaceuticals in Jimma University Specialized Hospital. Specifically, the study sought to assess challenges in regards to the pharmaceuticals procurement process, pharmaceuticals procurement planning, staff competency, and information communication technology and pharmaceuticals procurement organization structure. The study was conducted through a descriptive design of research. The targeted respondents were 146 and comprised of Administration officers and functional staffs that are members of pharmaceuticals procurement committee and/or directly/indirectly involved in pharmaceutical procurements, Supply Chain and pharmaceuticals professionals, and pharmacy service professionals, department heads of service delivery units and nurse heads of service delivery units in Jimma University Specialized Hospital. A structured questionnaire and interview as a data collection instrument were used. The field data were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics and narrative summary analyses. Findings indicate that lengthy pharmaceuticals procurement process is the most serious challenge followed by lack of employee competency ,poor culture of pharmaceuticals procurement planning took third rank followed by fully centralization of pharmaceuticals procurement activities and low level of ICT utilization is the least serious challenges in pharmaceuticals procurement in Jimma University specialized Hospital Finally it was recommended that pharmaceuticals procurement function at Jimma University specialized hospital needs adopting of information technology and enhancing the employee competency, skill and experience , decentralizing of noncomplex procurement activities to service delivery units and good culture of developing pharmaceuticals procurement planning and implementations