The effect of logistics Information Technology on availability of essential medicines in health centre IIIs and IVS in Kikuube and Hoima districts-Uganda

Abstract

High expirations and stock outs of key medications have resulted from ineffective management of these medications, depriving patients of their entitlement to health care. Thus, this study investigated the effect of logistics information technology on availability of essential medicines in the Kikuube and Hoima districts in Mid-western Uganda2yrs before and after 2019 when the system was implemented. Three goals served as the study's direction.; it examined the effect of logistic information technology (LIT) on expiries, stock out rates, and the perceptions of the effect of Logistic Information system on expiration and stock out of essential medications.

Methods The study employed across-sectional descriptive study design that used mixed approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative logistics data at the same time. The study considered a study population of 128 respondents from the selected health facilities in the study region and 124 respondents were interviewed. The data gathering an interview guide, a questionnaire, and a document review were the instruments employed in this study of stock cards and the DHIS2 electronic data base to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Additionally, the qualitative data was gathered through observation and analysis of inventory data used in the two years prior to and following the introduction of the logistic technologies in management of essential medicines.

Results After implementation in 2020 and 2021, results showed that LIT had a beneficial effect on reducing the expirations and stock outs of essential medicines (Mean =3.58 and SD=0.65). This was a significant improvement over the results from 2017 and 2018, where the mean was lower two years earlier (Mean=2.04 and SD 0.43). The average T-score had a P-value of (0.0011) and was 5.948 on average. While as for stock out rates mean before was 2.08± SD=1.286 against (M = 3.542± SD= 1.53) and t-score of 9.478 and a P-value=0. 002.Finally, as regards perception, the average mean for the stock out rates of essential medicines in Kikuube and Hoima district following the implementation of Logistic systems was 3.542, and 2.082 before.

Conclusion It was concluded that there was a strong relationship and positive effect of the logistic information technology on accessibility to necessary medications. And The study suggested adequate infrastructure in the health facilities as enabler for effective LIT functionality, it is also necessary to adopt long-term policies for continued additional financing by the government.