Storage of Drugs

Good storage conditions and safe custody of drugs is important to ensure quality of drugs. Temperature and humidity control systems should be appropriately designed, installed, qualified and maintained, to ensure that the required storage conditions are maintained.

The State TB Officer (STO)/ District TB Officer (DTO) must ensure that the pharmacist/ store-keeper adheres to the following guidelines on proper storage of drugs.

Temperature

• The storage temperature should be 25⁰C and maintained with an air conditioner wherever applicable.

Humidity

• Humidity levels should be below 60% and maintained with a dehumidifier, wherever required

Power Supply

• Regular power supply should be available for cooling devices (AC, ceiling fans etc) and dehumidifiers.

Drug Safety

Storage Room

• Should be cleaned and disinfected regularly, should be dry, well-lit and well-ventilated
• Should be free from any water penetration, rodent and pests
• Should have fire safety equipment in place
• The drugs should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Stacking

• The shelves should be placed in such a way that there is sufficient space around for air circulation and free movement of personnel.
• Similar boxes should be stored adjacent to each other and stacked as per their expiry dates.
• The drugs expiring early should be placed closer to the ground and as those expiring late should be place at higher levels.
• Expired drugs should be segregated, sealed and stored in a separate part of the store so as to avoid issue to patients

Labelling

• The identification label, expiry date & manufacturing date of the anti-TB drugs should be marked with a bold marker pen on the visible side of the carton.

Resources

• WHO Technical Report Series, No. 908, 2003; Annex.9: Guide to Good Storage Practices for Pharmaceuticals.
• Procurement, Supply Chain Management & Preventive Maintenance, Module 6, CTD, MoHFW, India.
• Standard Operating Procedure Manual Procurement & Supply Chain Management, CTD, MoHFW, India, 2018.

 Assessment