The impacts of the shortage of medicines on service delivery in the healthcare system (a case study of Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone-Botswana)

Abstract

Purpose: The prevalent shortage of medicines results in pressure on healthcare providers to substitute unavailable medicines with alternatives. This compromises the best healthcare and greatly negatively impacts the patient’s treatment outcomes. Furthermore, this increases morbidity and mortality rates. However, there was a dire need to investigate the impacts of supply and demand challenges of medicines on service delivery, specifically at Princess Marina Hospital, Botswana’s largest hospital. Methodology: This study adopts a quantitative method facilitated by a closed-ended questionnaire at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. Findings: The four impacts of the supply and demand challenges of medicines on service delivery identified are ineffective treatment leading to negative clinical outcomes, lack of service leading to humanistic outcomes, lack of available therapy options leading to unstandardized service, and expensive medicines leading to inaccessibility of services. These impacts have significant implications that pose a health risk to the population, community, and patient well-being. Therefore, this study represents a positive stride towards mitigating the impacts by highlighting the risks posed by medicines' supply and demand challenges. The findings of this study provide a wider overview of the consequences of the shortages of medicines, promote improvements in service delivery and positive treatment outcomes, and influence policy development informed by research. Originality/Value: Shortages of medicines in both public and private sectors in Botswana have not been adequately studied despite their negative impacts on the patient’s treatment outcomes and service delivery. The impacts of the shortages of medicines at Princess Marina Hospital are identified in this paper.