| Summary |
The evaluation described in this report is aimed at monitoring the implementation of the Essential Drugs Programme and to assess the impact of rationalisation on the procurement, distribution and physical and financial control of medicines in the Northern Province of South Africa. It is a follow-up to the baseline study undertaken in 1996, which was the first, indicator-based quantitative assessment of pharmaceutical services in a South African province. Similar baseline studies have been carried out since in other provinces as well. |
| More Details |
As in the baseline study in 1996, key performance indicators, agreed in collaboration with key role players and stake holders in the province, are described. The survey was based on the contracting depot, 7 hospitals and 16 clinics, i.e. one hospital randomly selected from each region and a maximum of 3 clinics serviced by that hospital. The results were considered to be a fair reflection of the situation in the province as a whole. Detailed results for each of the facilities are shown in Section 3. Section 4 presents a graphic summary of the overall results, as compared to the situation in 1996. On the whole, a number of improvements, some of them significant, were noted.
Areas which improved most were cold chain management, inventory control by computer, awareness of the National Drug Policy / Essential Drugs List and attendance of provincial training courses on drug supply management and effective prescribing. Another positive development is the lower use of injections. Antibiotic use has also been reduced, but remains higher than the level recommended by the WHO. As in 1996, a reasonable percentage of key items was found to be in stock.
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