DISF_Client_ADDO_and_HF_exit_interview_questions_-_all_versions_-_labels_-_2024-01-04-09-20-55.xlsx

This study looked into how easy it is to get essential reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health medicines in the Pwani region, Kibaha District, Tanzania. It was part of the Digital Innovation Seed Fund project, funded by The Gates Foundation, which builds on the Afya-Tek program that connects Community Health Workers, drug dispensers, and health facilities using digital tools. The goal of the survey was to find out the barriers to access for those who need help the most. We used a mix of methods, doing 191 exit interviews and 30 qualitative sessions with clients and service providers. While getting to drug dispensers and health facilities isn't too hard, there are still issues with finding medicines and their costs. About 89% of clients at drug dispensers and 82% at health facilities got the medicine they needed, but health facilities had more stock-outs, and drug dispensers had higher prices. Around half of the clients said they had trouble affording medicines, even though 83% thought the prices were fair, indicating different expectations for pricing at drug dispensers versus health facilities. Demand varied, children under five and pregnant women needed the most help, while postnatal women needed the least. Adolescents, who don’t use services as often, preferred drug dispensers for privacy when getting contraceptives and STI medicines. The study showed that drug dispensers play an important role in covering the gaps left by public health facilities, especially during stock shortages. In summary, while RMNCAH medicines are mostly accessible in Kibaha, there are ongoing challenges with affordability and supply issues that make it hard for everyone to get what they need. The findings from this survey will help shape the regional health teams in decision making and guide future efforts to improve medicine access for vulnerable populations in Tanzania.