Assessment of storage conditions of pharmaceutical products in Rwanda : case of Rwanda biomedical center, Medical procurement andproduction division and district pharmacies

Abstract

Availing quality essential medicines is a wish for every health supply chain player. Appropriate storage conditions are fundamental to maintain the quality and stability of medicines and this is why temperature, humidity, ventilation and other storage conditions must be monitored in a pharmaceutical warehouse. To check how pharmaceutical products in Rwanda are stored, a concerning study was conceived. The study was a descriptive-Analytical research where the actual status of storage of pharmaceutical products in Rwanda were described and checked for compliance with Good Storage Practices (GSPs) and manufacturers recommended storage conditions. Ten representative district pharmacies out of thirty and RBC/MPPD warehouses were selected to participate in the study. Questionnaire, check list on warehouse premises layout and records of temperature and humidity for the last three years (2016-2018) were used as source of data. We found that in Rwanda, we have warehouse premises but designed as residential houses for habitation so space is insufficient and they are not well equipped as required by the pharmaceutical warehouse. They are not ventilated, pharmaceutical products are exposed to direct sunlight, devices in cold rooms are not calibrated, temperature monitoring is not done during holydays and weekend at district pharmacies, staffs working in warehouse are using academic background others have been trained long time ago, products in cartons are stacked not respecting Good Storage Practices, at district pharmacies they do not monitor relative humidity, there is a lack of cool storage condition ( i.e.8oC to 15oC) in the hall country, dispatching area is not separated with receiving area in all district pharmacies, there is lack of equipment for rifting heavy loads at district pharmacies, there is easy access to pharmaceutical products in the warehouse because there is no security precautions, As conclusion, we found that pharmaceutical products warehouses are available but there are many weaknesses needing improvements and establishment of some features which are absent. Also, a quick corrective and appropriate actions are needed to save products which are at risk of vi degradation because of poor monitoring of required storage conditions or recommended by the manufacturers.