DETERMINANTS OF QUALITY STANDARDS ADHERANCE BY COLD CHAIN PHARMACEUTICAL DISTRIBUTORS IN KENYA
Abstract
Quality of medicine is critical to quality healthcare of citizens in a country like Kenya. Provision of healthcare through quality medicine faces many challenges. The purpose of this study was to investigate determinants of quality standards adherence in distribution of cold chain pharmaceutical products in Kenya. Specifically, the research investigated whether staff qualifications, storage, packaging of products and their transportation influenced the quality specifications in distribution of cold chain products in the pharmaceutical industry in Kenya. The study was undertaken in 16 selected pharmaceutical companies operating within Nairobi County. Data was obtained from employees of the pharmaceutical companies through purposeful sampling technique. The research design was descriptive research design in which quantitative data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Correlation and regression analysis were the inferential techniques used to determine relationships between study variables. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS V-20) was used to analyze data. The correlation procedure revealed that staff qualification, storage conditions, packaging and transportation were each positively correlated with quality of medicine in the Nairobi County. Through linear regression procedure, these four factors collectively accounted for 58% of the total variation in quality of medicine in the County. It was thus recommended that pharmaceutical companies should strictly embrace packaging technology with accurate clear labeling of medicine. They should also keep on recruiting and retaining high quality and skilled employees within the industry. Ensure that already existing storage facilities are fully functional through equipping the maintenance and repairs departments. Pharmaceutical firms should strategize to provide quality medicine by ensuring that adequate resources are channeled to transportation section. Based on the time limitation of the current study; it is sensible that another similar study be carried that covers more other firms in other towns in Kenya.
Key terms: Cold chain, Distribution chain, Distribution, Good Distribution Practices (GDP), Good Warehousing Practice (GWP), Quality Management Systems, Temperature
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v5i2.687
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