Application of the Geographic Information System (GIS) in the Drug Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) at the district level in Malawi : Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

The district pharmacies use a computerised information system to monitor the flow of products from the central warehouse to health services delivery points. It helps drug logistics and health program managers to determine which health facilities are understocked or overstocked among others. But drug logistics information generated from this system is only in the table format. There is not spatial information added to it which can help the program managers to determine actual locations of health facilities and environmental factors affecting them so that they can have enriched information for their day-to-day work. The main goal of this study was to identify some opportunities and challenges of applying the GIS in the drug LMIS at the district level in the Ministry of Health in Malawi. Since the research involved the introduction of the GIS in the drug LMIS, it was decided to experiment the GIS in the drug LMIS in order to find out opportunities and challenges. The framed field experiment was used as the research strategy and interviews, document analysis, prototype evaluation and observation as data sources whose data analysis was qualitative. It has been found out that the idea of introducing the GIS in the drug LMIS is very good but it requires a lot of effort, commitment and resources for successful implementation. Apart from the GIS being used only by the pharmacy technicians, as the research was focusing on, other drug logistics and health staff were also interested in the project. The GIS would also help the statisticians, environmental health officers and drug logistics officers. Some opportunities and challenges that could exist when introducing the GIS, basically involve technologies, organisation, standards and data integration. It has been observed that the technical side of implementing the GIS in the drug LMIS is not difficult because the Ministry of Health has introduced computer technologies before so some required tools and equipment are available that can be used in the GIS. The main issue for the successful implementation is organisational in the sense that if the management of the Central Medical Stores is committed, it is easy to get all necessary resources and support to do all the activities discussed above. Acquisition of tools and equipment, user training, data standards, data collection, data integration, data sharing and cooperation of participants will require support from the management in the Ministry of Health.