The effect of inventory management on service delivery in public health institutions. A case of Mulago National Referral Hospital

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of Inventory Management on service delivery in Public Health Institutions. Inventory management was examined basing on stock requisitioning, stock taking, and storage, while service delivery was looked at basing on availability, accessibility and timeliness of services offered. The study focused on these variables basing on Mulago Hospital. The study objectives were to; find out the effect of requisitioning, stock taking and storage on service delivery in public health institutions. The research adopted both quantitative and qualitative approach using survey and case study designs. Basically 250 respondents participated in the study. These included Administrators, head of departments/sections, Medical workers and other staff (non-Medical Workers) from different departments. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists where conclusions were drawn from tables, figures from the Package. The findings revealed that stock requisitioning (predictor) has a significant effect on service delivery in public health institutions as indicated by the Adjusted R Square of 0.703 (70.3%) whereas the remaining percentage is by other factors. Furthermore, there was a positive and significant relationship between stock requisitioning and service delivery denoted by R=0.839 (83.9%). It was also revealed that stocktaking (predictor) has a significant effect on service delivery in public health institutions as indicated by the Adjusted R Square of 0.762 (76.2%) whereas the remaining percentage is by other factors. Furthermore, there was a positive and significant relationship between stocktaking and service delivery denoted by R=0.874 (87.4%). The indicated that stock storage (predictor) has a significant effect on service delivery in public health institutions as indicated by the Adjusted R Square of 0.706 (70.6%) whereas the remaining percentage is by other factors. It was also found out that there is a positive and significant relationship between stock storage and service delivery denoted by R=0.841 (84.1%). Recommendations of the study included need to strengthen requisitioning procedures in public hospitals, ensuring that there are more than one supplier of medicines and drugs to public health units, reviewing stock requisition plan, adapting computerization of requisitioning, stock taking and storage functions of the organization, and ensuring that there is regular and decentralized stock tacking and storage activities inn public health institutions