Inventory Management (IM) is a systematic approach to ordering, receiving, storing, issuing and reordering drugs and other commodities. IM is a critical element in supply chain management which ensures the availability of the right products in the right place at the right time.
Ensuring adherence to correct treatment is crucial in the outcome of tuberculosis and hence it is essential to develop a patient-centred approach to treatment administration.
Pharmacists remain the first and only health care provider that patients utilize.
Every Tuberculosis Unit (TU)/ Peripheral Health Institution (PHI) store has a pharmacist who ensures proper supply chain management of anti-TB drugs and other supplies at the TU and PHI level. TU/PHI pharmacist performs the following functions:
The District Drug Store (DDS) pharmacist is responsible for managing the supply chain of all drugs and commodities at the district level under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
The DDS Pharmacist is involved in the following activities:
Figure: Role of District Drug Store (DDS) Pharmacist in National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP)
The State Drug Store (SDS) pharmacist will perform the following activities:
This process is used to record drugs issued or dispatched to State Drug Stores (SDS), District Drug Stores (DDS), Tuberculosis Unit (TU) and Peripheral Health Institution (PHI) stores and other sources through Ni-kshay Aushadhi.
1) Drug Store Personnel
Tuberculosis Unit (TU) is the administrative unit under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) which is responsible for conducting activities at the sub-district/ block level.