Thesis Abstract

Thesis Overview

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

1.0 Introduction

The study was conducted on the effect of procurement methods and procedures on drug usage in Uganda public hospitals using Butabika Hospital as a case study. The chapter introduces the background of the study, the statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, scope of the study and significance of the study.

1.1 Background

Kovacs (2004) defines procurement methods and procedures as the guidelines for or means of acquisition of appropriate goods and/or services at the best possible cost to meet the needs of the organization in terms of quality, quantity, time, and location. Thus, procurement methods and procedures must be appropriate to circumstances. On the other hand, Mullins (2007) defines drug usage the practice of utilizing drugs, that if making use of the drugs. Drug usage in hospitals is measured in terms of drug stock, drug wastage, patient access to drugs, and drug mismanagement (Lawino, 2009).

According to Thai (2005), every organization that purchases goods or services must have effective standard procurement procedures, the methods they use to acquire those things required for an organization to provide goods/services to its clients. These procedures should cover all aspects of the procurement cycle, including the selection of the supplier, contract negotiations, order placement and payment and should ensure appropriate service delivery.

Uganda public hospitals have procurement methods/procedures guided by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PDDA, 2003). The PPDA Act governs procurement of drugs, which is supposed to contribute to their best usage.

Despite this, drug misuse is common in Uganda public hospital. Public hospitals have been criticized for drug stock-out and drug wastage (Hampton, 2010). There is a countrywide concern about people dying of treatable diseases such as malaria, arising from patients’ failure to access drugs in public health facilities (Auma, 2008; Lawino, 2009). Some patients are told to buy the few drugs stocked at public hospitals and yet they do not have any money (Kikonyogo, 2008). Thus, this calls to examine how procurement methods and procedures inUgandapublic hospitals affect drug usage.

1.1 Statement of the Problem

Concern has been raised about drug usage inUgandapublic hospital for over years without positive change. Examples include delayed delivery of drugs, drug stock-out, drug wastage, and patients’ failure to access drugs and others. These have put people’s lives at risk. These problems associated with drug usage may be due to ineffective and efficient procurement methods and procedures inUgandapublic hospitals.

1.2 Objectives of the Study

The following objective guided the study

1.3 Research questions

The research questions were

1.4 Scope of the study

The study was carried out in Uganda public hospitals in Kampala. The content scope focused on awareness and compliance/adherence to procurement methods and procedures for drugs and strategies for improving methods/procedures including drug usage.

1.5 Significance of the study

The study findings may be significant in many aspects as follows:

The study finding may help to inform theUgandapublic hospitals on how their procurement methods and procedures affect drug usage.

The study findings may also help policymakers inUgandahealth sector by availing them with information that they may use to procurement methods and procedures for better drug usage inUgandapublic hospitals.

The findings may be of great use to the academia, especially those who may wish to carry out further research on how procurement methods and procedures affect service delivery. More so, it will contribute to the body of knowledge that wasused by other researchers.