Assessment of Laboratory Equipment Maintenance Practice and Associated Challenges in selected public Hospitals Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2023-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Laboratory equipment maintenance practices are one of the key interventions tominimize equipment down time and service interruptions in public hospital. This study focusedon the strategies of laboratory equipment maintenance practices for improving maintenance oflaboratories equipment at public hospitals in Addis Ababa for effective service delivery.
Objective: This study aimed to assess laboratory equipment maintenance practice and associatedchallenges in selected public hospitals present in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: A descriptive cross sectional survey supported with qualitative data collectionmethods were conducted at 12 public hospitals in Addis Ababa from May 2021 to July 2021. Aconvenient sampling technique was used for the quantitative part and Criterion based purposivesampling technique was followed to select participants for the qualitative data collections. A pre-tested structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the quantitative data andsemi structured in-depth interview guides and check lists were used to collect the qualitativedata. The questionnaire was returned and the data was analyzed by using SPSS Version 20software and the result was presented in tables, figures and graphs.
Result: A total of 48 respondents, 24 respondents from the quantitative and 24 respondents fromthe qualitative part were participated from 12 public health hospitals found in Addis Ababa, Thefindings showed that 95.8% equipment preventive maintenance practices takes place in theirdepartments however, the practice of corrective maintenance was found to be 42.7%. Lack ofspare parts and lack of trained biomedical engineers were the major laboratory equipmentmaintenance challenge which accounts about 29.2 % and 25% respectively. Age of the machine,work load and carelessness of the worker which is 45.8%, 33.3% and 12.5%, respectively werethe major laboratory equipment failures among public hospital in Addis Ababa.
Conclusion: The study shows that preventive maintenance practices take place for laboratoryequipment among public hospitals in Addis Ababa. The study also showed that correctivemaintenance practices were not carried out for most of the equipment’s and the majority oflaboratory equipment was out of service due to lack of spare parts and lack of well-trainedbiomedical engineer. Age of the machine and work load were also the major laboratoryequipment failures. Therefore availing spare parts and arranging training for biomedical engineers to improve the technical skill with continuous training is recommended
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Maintenance challenges preventive and corrective maintenance practice.