ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of procurement methods and procedures on drug usage in Uganda public hospitals using a case study of BUTABIKA Hospital. The study was to find out the level of adherence, compliance to the procurement methods /procedures at Butabika hospital. The objectives of study were to identify of effect of procurement methods and procedures on the organizational performance in public hospital. it will also identify the problem faced in Using procurement methods and procedure in public hospital. The study used case study involving quantitative and qualitative methods. The study will involve 3 staffs in management and 180 staff in non –management totaling 183 staffs of Butabika hospital. The finding are supported by fact that much of findings in public procurement is through grants which are subjected to a lot of statutory and regulatory requirement creating red tape bureaucracy. Result also revealed that there is strong realization that problem exist in the use of procurement methods and procedures. This implies that even though the methods have registered success, there are as well setbacks that must be corrected in order to improve the success factor. In respect to strategic procurement and procedures in general, more consultation should be made with the wider community and with stakeholder in procurement system, especially of public who was directly affected by out came of procurement. Procurement practitioner’ Association should be established where representative from centre of expertise and various procuring entities should meet regularly to inform test and develop policies and where appropriate operationalize issues. And bureaucracy which was noted for slowing down the rate of acquisition should be minimized if an organization is to reap from the benefit of the, procurement method and procedures.
CHAPTER ONE
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
- To establish the level of adherence/compliance to the procurement methods/procedures in Uganda public hospitals
- To come up with strategies for improving the procurement methods/procedures for better drug usage in Uganda public hospitals
- To establish the relationship between procurement methods/procedures and drug usage in Uganda public hospitals
1.3 Research questions
The research questions were
- What are levels of adherence/compliance to the procurement methods/procedures in Uganda public hospitals?
- What are strategies should be adopted for improving the procurement methods/procedures for better drug usage in Uganda public hospitals?
- What is the relationship between procurement methods/procedures and drug usage in Uganda public hospitals?
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.
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