BackgroundProper logistics management information system in the supply chain improves health outcomes by maintaining accurate and timely information. The purpose of this study was to determine program drugs logistics management information system performance in public health facilities of East Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State.MethodsA facility-based descriptive cross-sectional study design complemented with a qualitative method was conducted from April 01 to May 30, 2017. The quantitative data were gathered through reviewing logistics tools, a physical count of the selected program drugs, and interview of the pharmacy staffs. The evaluation of data quality was done on 134 RRFs and 805 bin-cards. A statistical package for social science version 20 was used to analyze the quantitative data. A chi-square test was performed to determine the association between dependent and independent variables. For the qualitative method, 11 face to face in-depth interviews were carried out, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis technique.ResultsTwenty three selected public health facilities were included in the study of which 39% of them had an automated recording system. Concerning the data quality, 65% of RRFs and 79.1% of bin-cards were accurately filled, and 97.8% of the reports were found to be complete. Sixty-nine percent of the facilities had timely submitted their report to the higher level and the reporting rate of the facilities was determined to be 97%. A significant association was observed between RRF data accuracy and type of profession, X2 (4, N = 134) =35.0, P = 0.040, trainings, X2 (2, N = 134) =37.12, P = 0.001, e-LMIS, X2 (2, N = 134) = 38.67, P = 0.03, educational status, X2 (2,N = 134) = 90.38, P = 0.012, & supervision, X2 (2, N = 134) = 94.03,P < 0.001. Shortage of skilled human resources and poor commitment of the staffs were identified to be the major bottlenecks of logistics management information system performances.ConclusionsThe facilities’ report submission rates were promising yet the quality of the reports need improvement. Poor data quality was more likely because of weak supportive supervision and the information system being managed by non-pharmacy professionals.

Background: Maintaining an efficient and effective inventory management system ensures a reliable supply of laboratory commodities. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess the performance of inventory management for laboratory commodities in public hospitals in the Jimma zone. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional descriptive study, accompanied by a qualitative method, was conducted in seven public hospitals between April 30 and May 29, 2019. We collected data through document reviews (225 bin-cards), physical observation, self-administered questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed using Excel spreadsheets and SPSS version 24. Fifteen key informants of different backgrounds took part in the qualitative study. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. Results: All the public hospitals in the zone were included in the study, making a response rate of 100%. Of the total estimated bin-cards, 225 (69.9%) of them held along with the items, and only 30.4% of them filled accurately. In four of the hospitals, pharmacists determined how much to order. Five of the hospitals used average monthly consumption data to calculate purchase quantity. Over the past 6 months, four of the hospitals had placed at least one or two emergency orders. The wastage rate of the commodities in the hospitals was 27.2% and resulted in a loss of about 10,248.5 US dollars. The hospitals had met 70.6% of the criteria for proper storage conditions. Budget constraints, absence of prompt administrative support, lack of staff commitment, and frequent shortages of commodities on the part of suppliers were major bottlenecks of inventory management. Conclusions: The hospitals had weak inventory management practices, showed by inaccurate records, stock-outs (frequent emergency orders), a high wastage rate compared to national baseline statistics, and the storage conditions below the standard.

Background: Effective inventory management ensures an uninterrupted supply of safe, effective, and affordable pharmaceuticals which could be achieved through developing ABC-VEN (Always, Better, Control-Vital, Essential, Desirable) and FSN-XYZ (Fast, Slow, Nonmoving-High, Medium, Low Value) matrix analysis. ABC-VEN matrix analysis is used to control inventory according to their annual consumption and on their functional importance whereas, FSN-XYZ matrix analysis is applied to control inventory by identifying the items to be discarded and the amount saved during the closing of annual accounts. Objective: To evaluate inventory management in selected health facilities of West Arsi zone, Oromia regional state for the year 2016-2018. Methods: Facility-based cross-sectional descriptive study complemented with a qualitative study was conducted in fourteen health facilities. Data were collected from goods issuing vouchers for the year 2016-2018 to perform ABC-VEN matrix analysis. The frequency of issue was collected to perform FSN analysis and the value of each closing stock was taken to get XYZ analysis. Results: From the ABC-VEN matrix analysis, 26.6% of items were Category I of which the highest proportion were taken by class A and V items consuming 84.7% of annual drug expenditure (ADE). The remaining 49.2% and 24.2% of the drugs accounted for only 13.2% and 2.1% of the ADE being category II and III, respectively. Based on FSN-XYZ matrix analysis findings, category I with 41.% item share account for the highest budget (average 86.5% of values). Of this category, the XN group-non-moving and high-cost drugs had the high value (20%) which need managerial measure. In category III, the ZN group items, being 25% of drugs, only had 2.2% of value-that may increase wastage, inventory holding cost, and shortage of storage space. Conclusion: The matrix analysis for inventory control is a strong tool that enables one to identify items requiring close monitoring. The coupled ABC-VEN matrix analysis, combining their individual advantages-inventory's cost and its functional importance help in achieving a meaningful inventory management. However, to control the stock at an appropriate level with minimum shortage and oversupply, it has to be supported by XYZ-FSN matrix analysis. The XYZ-FSN matrix benefits the health facilities to determine the level of inventory with high value in dead-stock, and to take measures like transferring to others, discarding, or saving.

Background: Pharmaceuticals waste is a public safety concern, resulting in a possible accidental poisoning, misuse, and environmental pollution. Thus, appropriate disposal of the damaged and expired medicines would save lives and protect the ecological system. Objective: The study was aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and disposal practices of pharmaceuticals waste among practitioners in private retail outlets. Method: A facility-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among private practitioners in retail outlets of Jimma city from November 20 to December 19, 2018. All private drug retail outlets and the respective staffs that fulfilled the eligibility criteria were included in the study. The data were collected using self-administrated questionnaires. Results: Of 106 questionnaires distributed to practitioners, 87 completed questionnaires returned, making a response rate of 82.1%. Fifty-nine (67.8%) of the participants reported that at least one type of damaged or expired medicines was present in their store. The main reasons for the damage or expiration include inappropriate storage practices, 32 (29.1%), and receiving medicines with a near expiration date, 42 (38.2%). Concerning knowledge about disposal practices, 70 (41.7%) and 47 (38.2%) of the participants, respectively, reported that safe disposal of damaged or expired medicines would prevent environmental pollution and illegal use. Regarding disposal practice, 47 (38.2%) of the respondents reported burning separately, and 24 (19.5%) of them reported burying underground. Fifty-two (59.8%) of the total participants strongly agreed that they had a responsibility to protect environmental pollution. Conclusions: The majority of the participants knew that the appropriate disposal of pharmaceuticals waste could protect human beings and ecological systems. However, a majority of the respondents disposed of the pharmaceuticals waste at the retail pharmacy.

Background Acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine by health professionals highly influences the communities’ decision to receive the vaccine, because health professionals are perceived to be a reliable source of health information. Hence, this study aimed at assessing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and associated factors among health professionals in two tertiary hospitals in southwest Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 319 health professionals working in Jimma University Medical Center and Mizan-Tepi university teaching hospital, southwest Ethiopia, from June 30, 2021 to July 30, 2021. Data were collected by a structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS version 23. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify independent factors associated with health professionals’ covid-19 vaccine acceptance. Variables with P-value < .25 on univariate analysis were candidates for multivariate logistic regression. Then, variables with P-value < .05 at 95% CI in multivariate logistics regression were considered statistically significant. Results Of the total participants, 232 (72.73%) received COVID-19 vaccines. Among non-vaccinated health care professionals, 82 (94.3%) of them stated, worries about the safety and side effects of the vaccines, as the reason for non-acceptance. Factors such as, friends or families diagnosed with COVID-19 (AOR = .086; CI: 95%, .041–.18; P = .001), and attitudes and beliefs about COVID-19 and its vaccine (AOR = .129; CI: 95%, .037–.449; P = .001), were significantly associated with the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion More than one-fourth of health professionals who did not accept COVID-19 vaccines require immediate intervention through awareness creation on the safety and adverse effects of the vaccine by the government and other stakeholders. Otherwise, the community may in large reject the vaccine as they trust health professionals.