Medical Laboratory Logistics Management Information System Practice for Some HIV/AIDS Laboratory Commodities in Selected Public Health Facilities in Sokoto State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Logistics management information system is the engine that drives the logistics vehicle geared towards effective and efficient coordination and analysing of data for decision making at all levels of services, projects and programmes. Majority of Medical Laboratory personnel are very poor in conducting daily documentation of HIV/AIDS laboratory commodities supplied by partners, government, philanthropists and Drug Revolving Fund/Sustainable Drug Supply System (DRF/SDSS) to public facilities. This has further affected services in these facilities, Sokoto State and Nigeria at large. The objective of this study was to assess the status of medical laboratory logistics management information system for HIV/AIDS laboratory commodities in public health facilities in Sokoto State. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from February 2014 to July 2014 at selected public health facilities in Sokoto State. A stratified random sampling method was used to include a total of 28 facilities which, were investigated through quantitative methods using structured questionnaires interviews. Focus group discussion with the designated Supply Chain Managers and key informant interviews were also conducted for the qualitative method. Majority of the facilities 21(75.0%) have HIV LMIS tools (CRRIRF, ICC and store ledger) chosen for this study. Only 8(38.09%) out of the 21 facilities completed all the three chosen tools for the past six months (June to December 2013), 6(28.57%) out of the 21 facilities completed only one tool (CRRIRF) out of the three chosen tools for the past six months and 7(33.33%) out of the 21 facilities completed the three chosen tools irregularly for the past six months. Most of the medical laboratory personnel were not trained in LMIS at the time of visits. Majority of the facilities 23(82.14%) had stock out issues for at least one HIV laboratory commodities and the highest stock out rate was for heamatology reagents. Expired HIV laboratory commodities were found in 11(39.28%) of the facilities.  Despite the availability of HIV LMIS tools, the practice of LMIS was poor among medical laboratory personnel. Finding in this study has provided the need to train medical laboratory personnel managing HIV laboratory commodities in order to enhance quality data reporting that will be used for decision making. Training and retraining should be conducted regularly for medical laboratory personnel to enable them handle LMIS tools properly to avoid stock out and outdate of reagents.