Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110676

Matildah Matipa Zyambo, mcips, Zambia Injection Safety, Chemonics International, P.O. Box 36873, Lusaka, Zambia, Richard S. Hughes, MA, Zambia Country Office, JHPIEGO Corporation, 1615 Thames Street, Baltimore, MD 21231, and Answell Chipukuma, Medical Injection Safety Project, JHPIEGO Zambia Country Office, PO Box 36873, Lusaka, Zambia, +260-1-256255, achipukuma.misp@jhpiego.net.

BACKGOUND In March 2004,Zambia Injection Safety Project embarked on the base line Survey in Ndola and Chipata, to establish the availability of injection safety Commodities.

FINDINGS -The survey revealed that Stocks were below 50% -Distribution of commodities was eratic -Institutions were not involved in national quantification process -Lack of capacity in procurement units -No quantification and procurement lists -No accountability systems in place

In general procurement and supply chain management in health institutions in Zambia has not been given the necessary attention it deserves. The survey revealed that non-availability of commodities has contributed to poor injection safety practices in health institutions.

METHOD Because of the baseline results, the project embarked on the procurement of commodities to supplement the stocks. In addition, the project under took an assignment to teach relevant staff and managers the basics of demand based procurement and supply chain management.

Questionnaires were sent to users at the point of use to establish the rate of availability of commodities after the sensitization on demand based procurement and supply chain management.

RESULTS It was noted that, there was improvement commodity availability from below 50% to 96 % due to impacted knowledge and skills aimed at improving demand based procurement and supply chain management that has eventually improved the injection safety in Zambia.

CONCLUSION It is concluded that if the demand based procurement and supply chain management is strengthened then the availability of supply and injection safety in Zambia would be improved

Learning Objectives:

• Understand how procurement and supply chain management effected the availability of supplies in pilot sites
• How Procurement and supply chain management was strengthened in the pilot sites

Keywords: Service Delivery,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.