THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS AT THE BUEA HEALTH FACILITIES PHARMACIES

ABSTRACT

Supply Chain Management (SCM) In The Hospital Pharmacy Has Been Neglected In Least Developed Countries Like Cameroon. The Proper Supply Chain Management In The Hospital Pharmacy Is Extremely Important As It Affects The Cost And Accessibility To Healthcare Of The Patients And Community. A SCM Study Was Conducted At Pharmacies In Buea Sub Division. Questionnaires Were Designed Together With Interview Questions And Used To Collect Data. A Total Of 48 Questionnaires Were Administered In Private And Public Health Facilities. The Results Showed That The Pharmacies Were Clean With An Established Supply Chain Of Drugs.

The Major Challenges Faced By Drug Users Were Rude Services, Fluctuating Drug Prices, And Poor Drug Quality With A Majority Of The Concerns Noticed In Local Drug Vendours. The Main Constraints Of Pharmacy Attendants Were Late Delivery, Price Fluctuations And Unavailability Of Some Drugs. There Was Appropriate Display Of Drugs With Sound Knowledge Of Essential Drugs. The Supply Chain Management System Was Controlled By Means Of Integrated Computerized Systems. It Was Observed That The Hospital Supply Chain System Was More Responsive Than Effective. There Is Need To Improve Checks On Local Drug Vendours And Their Activities Within The Supply Chain Of Drugs In The Health Facilities Of The Buea Sub Division.

Keywords: Supply Chain Management, Drugs, Challenges and constraints, Pharmacy

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Supply chain management can be defined as “the management and planning of all sourcing, procurement and logistic activities, including coordination and collaboration with channel partners, which can be suppliers, in term ediaries, third party service providers, and customers . (Kay’s et al., 2010).

We can say supply chain management integrates supply and demand chains management with and across companies. (Enyda C et al 2009).This gives the ability to deliver products faster at a lower cost than competitors. The state’s priority task is to improve the quality of medical care. The solution of this task largely depends on the organization of medicines’ supply. In the system of medical products’ circulation, the provision of consumers with medicines is one of the most important aspects. This is the main task of the pharmacies that include not only the retailers that sell medicines to the population, but also the hospital pharmacies that provide medicines and healthcare products in the hospitals (Cohen J C, et al., 2003). The medicine assistance of the hospital pharmacy starts with requests for purchasing medical and other pharmaceutical products.

Annual, unscheduled requests are based on the needs of the hospital departments, taking in to odds and the remaining balance, as well as financial plans and tasks of the hospital at the current stage (Cohen J.C, et al 2003). Products from suppliers are received daily according to the schedule of supplies. When supplied, all medicines undergo the acceptance control to prevent the receipt to flow quality products by the pharmacy. The acceptance control includes checking the compliance of the incoming medicines to the requirements for such indicators as Description, Packaging, and Marking.

The Description control includes checking the external view, color, and smell. When checking a product according to the Packaging indicator, special attention is paid to its integrity and compliance with the physico-chemical properties of medicines. When checking a product according to the Marking indicator, the attention is paid to the compliance of medicines design with the current requirements (Dimasi JA, et al 2003).

In addition, the acceptance control includes checking the correctness of supporting documents (cash accounts, invoices, consignment notes),as well as manufacturer’s certificates of conformity and other documents that confirm the quality of medicines in accordance with the applicable regulatory documents  (Enyina C I ,et al 2009).

If at least for one of the above indicators, the Certificate on the detected quantity and quality discrepancy when receiving goods and material .The medicine assistance of the hospital pharmacy starts with requests for purchasing medical and other pharmaceutical products.

Annual, unscheduled requests are based on the needs of the hospital departments, taking in to account the expenditures for the previous periods and the remaining balance, as well as current stage (Cohen J.C, et al 2003 ) .Products from suppliers are received daily according to the schedule of supplies. When supplied, all medicines undergo the acceptance control to prevent the receipt to flow quality products by the pharmacy. The acceptance control includes checking the compliance of the incoming medicines to the requirements for such indicators as Description, Packaging, and Marking. The Description control includes checking the external view, color, and smell. When checking a product according to the Packaging indicator, special attention is paid to its integrity and compliance with the physico-chemical properties of medicines. When checking a product according to the Marking, the medicine assistance of the hospital pharmacy starts with requests for purchasing medical and other pharmaceutical products.

Annual, unscheduled requests are based on the needs of the hospital departments, taking in to account the main balance, as well as financial plans and tasks of the hospital at the current stage (Cohen J.C, et al., 2003). Products from suppliers are received daily according to the schedule of supplies. When supplied, all medicines undergo the acceptance control to prevent the receipt to flow quality products by the pharmacy. The acceptance control includes checking the compliance of the incoming medicines to the requirement of the medicine assistance of the hospital pharmacy starts with requests for purchasing medical and other pharmaceutical products.

Annual, unscheduled requests are based on the needs of the hospital departments, taking in to account the remaining balance, as well as financial plans and tasks of the hospital at the current stage (Cohen J.C, et al., 2003) .Products from suppliers are received daily according to the schedule of supplies. When supplied, all event the receipt to flow quality products by the pharmacy. The acceptance control includes checking the compliance of the incoming medicines to the requirements for such indicators as Description, Packaging, and Marking.

The Description control includes checking the external view, color, and smell. When checking a product according to the Packaging indicator, special attention is paid to its integrity and compliance with the physico-chemical properties of medicines. When checking a product according to the Marking indicator, the attention is paid to the compliance of medicines design with the current requirements ( Dimasi JA, et al., 2003). In addition, the acceptance control includes checking the correctness of supporting documents (cash accounts, invoices, consignment notes),as well as manufacturer’s certificates of conformity and other documents that confirm the quality of medicines in accordance with the applicable regulatory documents (Enyina C I , et al., 2009).

If there is a discrepancy in the incoming products at least for one of the above indicators, the Certificate on the detected quantity and quality discrepancy when receiving goods and materials is executed. If all document the medicine assistance of the hospital pharmacy starts with requests for purchasing medical and other pharmaceutical products. Annual, unscheduled requests are based on the needs of the hospital departments, taking in to account the expenditures for the previous periods and the remaining balance, as well as financial plans and tasks of the hospital at the current stage (Cohen J.C, et al., 2003) Products from suppliers are received daily according to the schedule of supplies. When supplied, all medicines undergo the acceptance control to prevent the receipt to flow quality products by the pharmacy. The compliance of the incoming medicines to the requirements for such indicators as Description, Packaging, and Marking.

The Description control includes checking the external view, color, and smell. When checking a product according to the Packaging indicator, special attention is paid to its integrity and compliance with the physico-chemical properties of medicines. When checking a product according to the Marking indicator, the attention is paid to the compliance of medicines design with the current requirements (Dimasi JA, et al., 2003).

In addition , the excess of supporting documents (cash accounts, invoices, consignment notes ) , as well as manufacturer’s certificates the quality of medicines in accordance with the applicable regulatory documents (Enyina C I, et al., 2009).

If there is a discrepancy in the incoming products at least for one of the above indicators, the Certificate on the detected quantity and quality discrepancy when receiving goods and materials is executed. If all documents are issued correctly, they are entered in the computer program as the receiving reports with the indication of the sender (supplier), the recipient (pharmacy), the product (a medicine, wound closure materials, etc.), its unit of measure, quantity, price, amount, series and expiry date, purchase agreement/contract, specification under the agreement/contract (entered in advance by the contract department), number and date of the invoice, and number and date of the consignment note. The accounting and the planning departments accept only original documents provided as the whole package (Handfield R B, et al., 2005). When checking suppliers’ documents, hospitals rather often detect various errors. The authors have developed and offered flow charts on organizing the hospital pharmacy work when there are/there are no errors in suppliers’ supporting documents when supplying medicines.

1.2 Problem Statement.

In least developing countries like Cameroon, the supply chain management system in a hospital pharmacy has been neglected (Handfield, et al., 2005). However, this sector is extremely important as it affects the cost and accessibility to healthcare of the citizens (Mr Mark Owiredu, et al., 2011).

Therefore, to achieve success, considerable research for innovative ideas and practices are needed which will assist in improving the quality of patient care.

1.3 Rationale

Effective supply chain management can create the efficient supply of drugs to end users. Major challenges in the SCM are to maintain the quality of drugs, on time delivery, cost etc., which can be resolved by using emerging technologies like block chain,  ( Republic of Ghana Act 657, 2003 ) . The problems and prospects, at various stages, of the pharmaceutical supply chain are to be analyzed and appropriate recommendations are to be offered for improvement of the present system. Some of which includes; To improve efficiency, To improve quality, To optimize transport and logistics, To reduce cost, To enhance customer satisfaction.

1.4 Research Questions

Many unanswered questions to why the SCM in a hospital pharmacy are not performing as well as they should. These questions include:

• Has the SDCM undergone strategic development?
• Does the supply chain have strategic importance?
• Is Quality embedded in the SCM?
• Are the right people in the right position?
• Are we using the appropriate incentives and matrices?