RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Stock-outs of some life-saving drugs, such as emergency obstetric drugs, are evident in many health facilities and have been reported to be the leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity for women from low and middle income countries (LMICs). For many cases, this situation is associated with poor inventory management practices. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of inventory management practices on the availability of emergency obstetric drugs in Rwandan public hospitals: case of the Rwanda Southern Province. Moreover, to gain a better grasp of the problem and to suggest possible areas for improvement. METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was carried out in all ten district hospitals (DHs) providing maternal health care and dispensing emergency obstetric drugs namely; Kigeme DH, Munini DH, Kabutare DH, Kibilizi DH, Gakoma DH, Nyanza DH, Ruhango DH, Gitwe DH, Kabgayi DH and Remera Rukoma DH. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Oxytocin injection, Misoprostol tablet and Magnesium sulphate injection as recommended emergency obstetric drugs by WHO, UNFPA and Rwanda Essential Medicines list were included in the study. RESULTS: The study revealed that keeping logistics management tools up to date is the backbone of inventory management practices in the availability of medicines and medical supplies. The results showed that hospitals with up-to-date logistics tools for their pharmaceutical management were 33.25 times more likely to have their emergency obstetric drugs in stock at all times compared to those that do not regularly update their logistics tools. The proper use of bin cards and electronic software (e-LMIS) contributed greatly to reducing the stock-out rate of emergency obstetric drugs by 89.9% and reduction of unusable to usable stock ratio by appropriate use of simple techniques such as the Min-Max inventory control model by 79%. Over an 18-month period, misoprostol tablet had the highest average days (32) of stock-outs (5.9%), followed by magnesium sulphate injection with an average of 31 days (5.7%), and oxytocin injection with an average of 13 days (2.4%). CONCLUSION: Proper use of pharmaceutical management tools within hospitals premises positively influence the availability of life-saving drugs, such as emergency obstetric drugs. Adequate supply chain staffing in health facilities is the most important key to improving inventory management practices and medicine availability.