Abstract:
bstract
Timely Accessibility of Critical Resuscitation Supplies at Kigali University Teaching
Hospital (CHUK)
Introduction
The effective preparation for the management of critically ill patients requires trained staff and
adequate supplies. Limited research exists on the impact of critical supply shortages and
assessment of why and when supplies are lacking at emergency departments within low –Middle
income countries (LMICs).
Methods
This is a prospective 3-month observational single-centered study done at CHUK, at a tertiary
level hospital in Kigali Rwanda from October to December 2018. We documented the usage of
different supplies from a backup stock, which were employed when the hospital could not
provide the desired item. We recorded the supplies used, severity of the patient’s illness, and
when and why the supplies were needed.
Results
The most commonly lacking items that were identified during the study included atropine,
ketamine, calcium gluconate, diazepam, mannitol, potassium chloride, povidone, urine
pregnancy and urine dipstick. The reasons for lacking supplies included emergency department
being out of stocks (28%), laboratory accessibility (27.6%), the hospital out of stocks (19.9%),
inaccessibility of supplies (19.4%), lack of ability to pay (3%) and not on hospital formulary
(2%). The backup supplies were accessed most frequently between 12:00 and 14:00, regardless
of the day of the week.
Conclusion
This study characterized gaps in the continuous availability of emergency department supplies
through provision of back up supplies and monitoring of their utilization patterns. This data will
help strengthen the supply process ensuring uninterrupted access to critical supplies. Future
studies on the patient’ outcomes is recommended.
