ASSESSMENT OF LABORATORY COMMODITY SUPPLY CHAIN PRACTICE AT PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES OF HARARI REGIONAL STATE, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Properly functioning supply chain is a critical part of ensuring commodity security when every person can obtain and use quality essential health supplies whenever he or she needs them.For laboratories to function effectively, they must have the commodities needed for the testing services offered. However, managing of laboratory commodity supply chains in support of laboratory services is a formidable challenge on availability, storage condition, stock management and irrational use. The status of laboratory commodity supply chain practice in our country as well as in Harari region is not clearly known. Objective: This study aims to assess the laboratory commodities supply chain practice in public health facilities of Harari Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia from February 25, to April 25, 2024. Methods: A facility based descriptive cross-sectional study design was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. For quantitative studies, 11 public health facilities (2 Hospitals and 9 Health centers) were included. All head of laboratory department, pharmacy department, and store manager who were responsible for the management of laboratory commodities were included. For qualitative studies, purposive sampling technique was applied to select 15 key informants for in depth interview. Epi Data version 3.1 was used for data entry, and SPSS version 27 was used for data analysis.Fisher's Exact test and Independent t-testwere conducted. Qualitative datawere summarized andanalyzed thematically. Results: The average availability of laboratory commodities on the day of the visit was 67.3% in health facilities. The health facilities had attained only, 72.7% of the storage conditions criteria, nine of them had filled & send report and requisition form, and seven facilitylaboratories use internal facility report and requisition form to request from pharmacy store. The overall average stock out day was 35.5 in the facility, among this, 39.7 days in health centers and 16.6 days in hospitals. Average stock-out days of health centers were 23.1 days more than that of hospitals (P-value < 0.001). Insufficient storage space, frequent stock out of commodities from the suppliers, lack of frequent supervision, and feedback from higher officials were the main challenges for laboratory commodities supply chain practice. Conclusion: A supply chain practice towards laboratory commodities were found inadequate which was described bylow availability (high stock out) of laboratory commodities, inaccurateinventory recording tools, and unacceptable storage conditions criteria.Mean stock out day were found different between facilities. The study result suggests strict and supportive supervision should be conducted by the management of the facility, and suppliers should also give attention for the improvement of the laboratory commodities availability.