Drug Supply Chain Management in Public Secondary Health Facilities in Lagos State Nigeria

Abstract

This study was conducted to analyze the drug supply chain at nineteen selected public secondary health centers (SHC) commonly referred to as General Hospitals, in Lagos State. Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data were collected through a well-structured questionnaire while the secondary data were sourced from journals, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Lagos Bureau of Statistics (LBS), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), etc. A descriptive statistical method was employed for data analysis using the statistical package for Social Science (SPSS) version 2.0 and ArcGIS 10.8 version. Maps, frequency counts, percentages, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were also used to test the hypothesis The study contributed to the existing body of knowledge by establishing the Euclidean distance of SHC from Central Medical Store (CMS) Oshodi, the residences within and outside the buffer zone of 2km radius around the SHC in Lagos state and the distribution and accessibility of patients to essential drugs in the study area. Findings confirmed that 79.6% of Pharmacists have received training on supply chain practices. The respondents also said that SHC in Lagos gets about 75% of their drug supplies from Central Medical Store.  The result also revealed there is a significant relationship between the number of dispensing outlet and the amount paid for drug by patients. Also, 57.5% of the patients preferred to have their drugs delivered at home and 49.5% were willing to pay extra cost for home delivery. The study suggests strong regulation and strict enforcement of National Drug Distribution Guidelines of 2012 (NDDG) by the regulator. The study concludes that effective supply chain will deliver safe, efficient, and quality drugs to meet the health need of the patients.