The factors affecting availability of medicines in the Free State District Health Services

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify and explore factors affecting medicine availability within the district health services. A qualitative descriptive, exploratory and contextual research design was followed. The data collection was conducted through two focus group discussions comprising of pharmaceutical managers and district health services managers respectively. The study found that medicine was not consistently available in the various districts, especially in community health centres and primary health clinics. The factors contributing to the non-availability of medicines include challenges with deliveries from Medical Depots, poor medicine stock management, shortage of pharmacists and pharmacist’s assistants in the facilities, lack of the electronic medicine management systems and the separate existence of Pharmaceutical Services and Medical Depot within the province. The study made recommendations on how to improve medicine availability within the district health services.