Factors Influencing the Availability of Medicines in Government Health Facilities in Uganda:

Abstract

This study aimed at finding out the factors influencing the availability of medicines in Government health units in Bukwo district a case of Bukwo hospital, and suggest measures to improve availability of medicines in Bukwo hospital ,The study used quantitative and qualitative design and the independent variable such as availability of medicines and influencing factors such as management capacities, communication, storage, transportation, ordering for medicines, delivery of medicines, inadequate funding and theft of medicines were quantitatively measured while variables such as sex ,education levels and management capacities were qualitatively measured. The study was done in Bukwo hospital with a target population of health workers and constituted a sample size of 90 respondents obtained by simple random sampling, primary data was obtained from the respondents using questionnaires administered to the respondents and the results were analyzed using S.P.S.S. The results revealed that delay of health workers to order for medicines greatly influenced the availability of medicines negatively in Bukwo hospital, it was also found out that funding for medicines was not contributing to non availability of medicines in Bukwo hospital and that theft of medicines was not significantly contributing to non availability of medicines in Bukwo hospital while the management system was not contributing to the none availability of medicines of in Bukwo hospital and also the stores personnel are adequately trained to manage the stores while on the low remuneration to health workers the study found out that low remuneration tempt health workers to steal medicines in order to sell and supplement on their low incomes, on prescription quality the study found out that poor prescription quality does not significantly influences the availability of medicines in Bukwo hospital yet on Dispensing quality the study found out that poor dispensing quality influences availability of medicines in Bukwo hospital and further still on reporting quality and timeliness the study found out that a far greater percentage 64(70%) of the respondents agreed that reporting quality and timeliness influenced the availability of medicines in Bukwo hospital. In conclusion therefore several factors such as delay in ordering, delay in delivery,communication, lack of a store, low remuneration, and reporting quality and timeliness all compound to cause inadequate stock levels of medicines in Bukwo hospital which therefore callsfor policy changes and capacity building on staff to improve on the areas of concern.