Inventory Management Practice of Maternal, New Born and Child Health Life-Saving Drugs in Selected Public Hospitals in Jimma Zone Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Effective inventory management minimizes stock outs and losses due to unnecessary expiry and ensures that the desired medicines are available at all times in sufficient quantities. Having the proper amount of stock in the right place at the right time was possible with effective inventory management control. Objective: To assess inventory management practices of Life-Saving mother, new born and child health drugs in selected hospitals of Jimma Zone and Jimma city. Method: A facility-based descriptive cross-sectional study accompanied by qualitative method was conducted from 01–30 October 2020. Six public hospitals were selected for the study, 78 bin cards, 36 Report and Resupply Forms, 13 maternal, neonatal and child health drugs were considered in the study in addition to key informants. The collected data were cleared and analyzed using Epi data version 3 and SPSS 24. For the qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis technique. Result: -. Six public hospitals in Jimma Zone were included in the study. Logistics Management Information Systems tools such as reports and request form data transfer accuracy of the specific products were calculated to be 396 (84.61%). From 78 bin cards assessed, 65(83.3%) were updated. From the total of 13 items in the six hospitals of the available items were 59 (75.64%). The majority of the facility 6 items (28.63%) had faced stock out during the past one year of the study. Regarding storage conditions 5 (83.3%) of the hospitals fulfilled acceptable storage conditions. Managerial negligence, inadequate human resources, inadequate supply, supply of near expiry and lack of training and supportive supervision were the identified inventory management challenges. Conclusion: The maternal, neonatal and child health drugs inventory management practice of the studied public hospitals was found to be weak in which the availability of the drugs was below the standard and inaccuracy of stock records were identified in the area. There were also higher stock out and wastage rates. The study conducted in selected hospitals has a good storage condition practice. Recommendations: Therefore, public hospitals of Jimma City and Jimma Zone should give attention for the improvement of the maternal, neonatal and child health drugs inventory management more to decrease wastage rates and to increase quality of inventory control