The impact of reverse logistics in public hospitals : a case of Kamuzu Central Hospital and Ntchisi District Hospital

The Malawi Ministry of Health and its partners ensure that quality health care services are being offered in public hospitals, including the availability and accessibility of quality medicines that are in good condition, and that the hospitals are adequately stocked of pharmaceuticals for treating common illnesses. In spite of the efforts that the Ministry of Health has put in place to ensure efficiency in supply chain, and availability of medicines at all times, significant quantities of medicines and other medical supplies have been expiring in facility medicines store and warehouses, leading to a stock out of that product, on the other hand, overstocks of medicines have been experienced as they could not be consumed at certain particular time causing a challenge in supply chain as it is costly because most medicines end up expiring. The study concludes that policy on waste management and reverse logistics has significant financial and operational advantages to the Malawi health pharmaceutical supply chain and in public hospitals. This is very important as it will reduce expiry of medicines in hospitals while overstocks shall be reallocated or redistributed within the system. In this regard, the paper recommends immediate formulation of policy on reverse logistics procedures and waste management that would guide health workers to properly manage medicines in public hospitals. In addition, Ministry of health should build capacity in health workers that manage medicines so that they follow proper procedures of reverse logistics in case of stock imbalances and be able to make informed decisions. The push system of distribution should be based on the actual needs of hospitals so as to minimize expiry of medicines in hospitals