Assessment Of Warehouse Management: The Case Of Pharmaceutical Fund And Supply Agency Head Office
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Date
2018-06-12
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Many developing countries spend large amount of money on purchasing health commodities; yet
an estimated 60–80% of their population particularly in rural areas do not have constant access
to even the most essential health commodities. The pharmaceuticals supply management system
of Ethiopia has been suffering from several problems including non-availability, unaffordability,
poor storage and poor stock management and irrational use of pharmaceuticals.
Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess the practices and the major challenges of
warehouse management in Pharmaceutical Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) head office and to
indicate the way forward for the improvement in the area. This research study applied
descriptive research approach, quantitative and qualitative methods with primary and secondary
sources of data so that the objectives of the study need be addressed. A total of 44 professional
and technical employees who have warehouse management related works in Pharmaceutical
fund and supply agency head office are engaged in the study. Self administered questionnaires
with closed ended and open ended questions were used and the collected data were analyzed by
SPSS 20. From the findings, the majorities of the employees, average 61.2% have awareness on
the principles and procedures of warehouse operations but the sufficient number of trained
personnel, safety and personal protective materials, limited number of functional handling
materials and equipments are the major problems with an average of 62.3% respondents’
agreements. The warehouse managers followed the major procedures of warehouses operations,
receiving, putting way and issuing, except that there are limitation on spaces constrictions,
limitation on traceability of locations of pharmaceuticals storage areas and lack of handling
equipments in the warehouses. Health Management Information System (HCMIS) software is
founded to be, 86.3%, an efficient and effective tool on performing the warehouses operations.
The major challenges found were HCMIS network connection, safety and security, design and
layout of most warehouses and lack of management attention to the warehouse management
area. Therefore; the agency needs to work closely with the warehouses related technical and
professional workers for the efficiency and effectiveness of warehousing the pharmaceuticals in
the health system.
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Keywords
pharmaceutical, warehouse, management