Abstract

A functional health product supply chain system is the backbone of quality healthcare services. The phenomenon
not only guarantees the delivery of appropriate health products to the end-users, but it also ensures that
health system planners receive critical information on the need, demand, and consumption of products,
thus, contributing to better service delivery. Unfortunately, difficulty with medicine or vaccine selection,
procurement, distribution, inventory management and storage infrastructure form critical components of some of
the challenges that mostly result in stock-outs of essential medicines in Nigeria. In this study, challenges relating
to medicines or vaccines stockouts were identified; as well as those relating to poor data management of medicines
and vaccines supply. Furthermore, financial constraints, poor information management and inadequate human
resources were identified as parts of the challenges confronting the supply chains for medicines in the
country. By and large, this study serves as a wake-up call to policymakers and regulators on the need to
prioritise the critical sector of the supply chain system for medicines and vaccines in Nigeria. There is a
need for effective strengthening of the system through adequate budgetary provision.