Abstract
BackgroundHospitals in the United States often have an abundance of unused medical supplies and equipment while many developing countries are in considerable need of these resources. Many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have donated medical equipment to health centers in low-resource settings to rectify this issue; however, studies show many of these donations are not usable by the facilities that receive them. To better serve the partner hospitals of our NGO, Oasis Medical Relief, we investigated the perspectives and insights of Ethiopian healthcare workers (HCWs) on the medical equipment distribution paradigm of the country.MethodologyQualitative analysis including semi-structured, open-ended interviews was conducted. Semi-structured interviews (n = six) were conducted with HCWs (four physicians and two hospital administrators) working in hospitals in Addis Ababa and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Categorical content analysis was utilized to develop themes. The topical areas addressed by our questions include populations served, prevalence of diseases, laws, and strategies guiding medical equipment distribution, funding and budget for medical equipment, etc.ResultsThree themes related to perspectives and insights of HCWs on the current medical equipment distribution paradigm in Ethiopia interviewed include: (1) state of healthcare concerns, (2) medical equipment scarcity, and (3) policy shaping medical distribution paradigm.ConclusionsPre-donation assessments utilized to understand equipment needs are recognized by the World Health Organization to more effectively address medical equipment/supply. However, to further strengthen such efforts, qualitative interviews with HCWs are a tool that can be utilized to better understand the intricacies of Ethiopia’s complex medical distribution paradigm. This can potentially lead to more effective partnerships between NGOs and their partner hospitals. Furthermore, increasing decentralized methods of procuring medical equipment should be further explored to mitigate issues with national distribution of medical supplies.
Highlights
Medical waste in the United States has been an issue for several decades, with healthcare facilities being responsible for approximately 4 million tons of medical waste each year
Three themes related to perspectives and insights of healthcare workers (HCWs) on the current medical equipment distribution paradigm in Ethiopia interviewed include: (1) state of healthcare concerns, (2) medical equipment scarcity, and (3) policy shaping medical distribution paradigm
Pre-donation assessments utilized to understand equipment needs are recognized by the World Health Organization to more effectively address medical equipment/supply
Summary
Medical waste in the United States has been an issue for several decades, with healthcare facilities being responsible for approximately 4 million tons of medical waste each year. In the developing world, there is a great shortage of medical supplies and equipment [6,7,8]. The ramifications of this problem are amplified by the lack of proper medical infrastructure in a vast majority of developing nations [9]. Hospitals in the United States often have an abundance of unused medical supplies and equipment while many developing countries are in considerable need of these resources. Many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have donated medical equipment to health centers in low-resource settings to rectify this issue; studies show many of these donations are not usable by the facilities that receive them. To better serve the partner hospitals of our NGO, Oasis Medical Relief, we investigated the perspectives and insights of Ethiopian healthcare workers (HCWs) on the medical equipment distribution paradigm of the country
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