Research Article
Application of Geographic Information System (GIS) in Drug Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) at District Level in Malawi: Opportunities and Challenges
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-642-12701-4_12, author={Patrick Chikumba}, title={Application of Geographic Information System (GIS) in Drug Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) at District Level in Malawi: Opportunities and Challenges}, proceedings={E-Infrastructures and E-Services on Developing Countries. First International ICST Conference, AFRICOM 2009, Maputo, Mozambique, December 3-4, 2009. Proceedings}, proceedings_a={AFRICOMM}, year={2012}, month={5}, keywords={Drug LMIS Geographic Information System GIS Implementation}, doi={10.1007/978-3-642-12701-4_12} }- Patrick Chikumba
Year: 2012
Application of Geographic Information System (GIS) in Drug Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) at District Level in Malawi: Opportunities and Challenges
AFRICOMM
Springer
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-12701-4_12
Abstract
District pharmacies in Malawi use a computerised IS to monitor the flow of products from a warehouse to health service delivery points and determine understocked or overstocked products at each health facility. Currently, all drug LMIS reports are in tabular forms. The GIS can help health and drug logistics officers to get additional spatial information, such as locations of health facilities and environmental factors, to the existing reports in the form of maps. This paper highlights some opportunities and challenges of applying the GIS in the drug LMIS, which basically involve technologies, organisation, and standards and data integration. It has been found that this idea is very good but it requires much effort, commitment and resources for successful implementation.