Assessment Of The Impact Of Jazia Prime Vendor System On Availability Of Health Commodities In Shinyanga Region, Tanzania

Abstract

v ABSTRACT Background: In 2014, Tanzania introduced a system in which all orders of missing health commodities from Medical Store Department in public health facilities of a particular district are pooled together, and purchased from one contracted supplier per region, the prime vendor (PV). The approach is called Jazia Prime Vendor System (PVS). To date however, no study has been done to assess the impact of Jazia PVS on improving the availability of health commodities to public health facilities in Shinyanga region. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of Jazia PVS in facilitating the availability of health commodities in public health facilities in selected councils of Shinyanga region. Materials and Methods: A cross – sectional study was conducted in Shinyanga Region within 2 councils namely Kahama municipal council and Ushetu district council from April 2021 to May 2021. A total of 30 public healthcare facilities and 105 healthcare professionals (HCPs) were involved. Data was collected using tool for health commodities availability, a structured checklist and questionnaire. Analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Categorical variables were summarized using frequency and percentage while mean (standard deviation) was used for continuous variables. Chi square test was used to check for association between variables. The association was considered statistical significance when p value <0.05. Results: The overall average availability of essential health commodities between the two council was 78.4% i.e Kahama municipal council (80.5%) and Ushetu district council (76.7%.) on the day of survey. Three- months prior to the survey, facilities had stock out of essential health commodities and the most common items out of stock were mebendazole tabs, metronidazole tabs, dextrose injection 5%, and gloves. Dispensaries had more stock outs compared to health centers and hospitals. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) of Jazia PVS and minutes from Health Facility Governing Committee to approve the order to PV were available by 100%. Ten (10) facilities at Ushetu received health commodities late than the specified days.