Table 1.
Availability of essential drugs, stock outs and receipt of drugs within a month of indenting in the nine selected PMCIs supported by the Primary Healthcare-System-Strengthening Project (PSSP) in Sri Lanka in 2021.
| Name of the Essential Drug | Drugs Available, n (%) | Adequate Buffer Stock *, n (%) | Stock Outs in 2020, n (%) | Receipt of Drugs within a Month, n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular medicines | ||||
| Anti-arrhythmic medicines | ||||
| Adrenaline tartrate (0.1%)—1 mL Ampoule | 9 (100.0) | 1 (11.1) | 0 (0.0) | 6 (85.7) a |
| Anti-thrombotic medicines | ||||
| Aspirin tablet 150 mg | 5 (55.6) | 1 (20.0) * | 1 (11.1) | 5 (100.0) b |
| Aspirin tablet 75 mg | 3 (33.3) | 3 (100.0) # | 1 (11.1) | 3 (100.0) # |
| Lipid-lowering agents | ||||
| Atorvastatin tablet 10 mg | 9 (100.0) | 8 (88.9) | 1 (11.1) | 8 (88.9) |
| Anti-anginal medicines | ||||
| Glyceryl trinitrate tablet 0.5 mg sublingual | 9 (100.0) | 5 (55.5) | 1 (11.1) | 7 (77.8) |
| Nifedipine slow release tablet 20 mg | 9 (100.0) | 7 (77.8) | 2 (22.2) | 7 (87.5) c |
| Anti-hypertensive drugs | ||||
| Atenolol tablet 50 mg | 9 (100.0) | 6 (66.7) | 1 (11.1) | 7 (77.8) |
| Enalapril maleate tablet 5 mg | 8 (88.9) | 7 (77.8) | 3 (33.3) | 8 (88.9) |
| Frusemide—Injection 20 mg in 2 mL Ampoule | 9 (100.0) | 2 (22.2) | 0 (0.0) | 8 (88.9) |
| Frusemide tablet 40 mg | 9 (100.0) | 5 (55.5) | 1 (11.1) | 8 (88.9) |
| Hydrochlorothiazide tablet 25 mg | 9 (100.0) | 8 (88.9) | 1 (11.1) | 8 (88.9) |
| Losartan tablet 50 mg | 9 (100.0) | 7 (77.8) | 1 (11.1) | 9 (100.0) |
| Medicine for diabetics (Oral hypoglycaemic) | ||||
| Gliclazide tablet 40 mg and 80 mg | 8 (88.9) | 8 (100.0) | 3 (33.3) | 8 (88.9) |
| Metformin tablet 500 mg | 9 (100.0) | 9 (100.0) | 2 (22.2) | 8 (88.9) |
| Anti-asthmatic medicines | ||||
| Salbutamol Respiratory solution 0.5%/10 mL | 8 (88.9) | 6 (66.7) | 0 (0.0) | 7 (87.5) d |
| Salbutamol 2 mg tablet | 9 (100.0) | 3 (33.3) | 0 (0.0) | 8 (88.9) |
| Salbutamol 4 mg tablet | 0 (0.0) | NA ‡ | 0 (0.0) | NA ‡ |
| Theophylline Slow released tablet 125 mg | 8 (88.9) | 4 (44.4) | 1 (11.1) | 8 (88.9) |
Note: We used the WHO Model list of Essential Medicines to categorize the essential drugs. Percentages are calculated with nine PMCIs as a denominator; * Aspirin 150 mg was not indented in four PMCIs, # Aspirin 75 mg tablet was not indented in six out of nine PMCIs. None of the PHC indented Salbutamol 4mg tablet. Hence these PMCIs were not included in the respective analysis.; a—Drug indenting and receiving dates were not available for two PMCIs; b—Drug indenting and receiving dates were not available for four PMCIs; c, d—Drug indenting and receiving dates were not available for one PMCI; ‡—The buffer stock for three months (or one quarter) = (Total number of tablets disbursed in 2020/4). The required buffer stock for three months was compared against the closing stock in the last month to assess the number of PMCIs with less than three months of buffer stock.