Factors Affecting the Quality of Medicines and Medical Supplies During Storage
Session 7: Factors Affecting the Quality of Medicines and
Medical Supplies During Storage.
Total Session Time: 120 minutes
Prerequisites
Learning Tasks
By the end of this session students are expected to be able to:
Resources Needed:
SESSION OVERVIEW
Activity/
Step Time Content
Method
1 05 minutes Presentation Introduction, Learning Tasks
10 minutes Definition of Medicines and Medical
Presentation
2 Supplies
Brainstorming
15 minutes Factors Affecting Quality of Stored
Presentation
3 Medicines and Medical Supplies
Buzzing
30 minutes Presentation Consequences of Poor Storage of Medicines
4
and Medical Supplies
35 minutes Presentation
Ways to Avoid the Effects of Medicines and
5 Small group
Medical Supplies Deterioration.
discussion
15 minutes Presentation Identification of Signs of Deteriorated
6
Medicines
7 5 minutes Presentation Key Points
8 5 minutes Presentation Evaluation
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SESSION CONTENTS
STEP1: Introduction, Learning Tasks (5 minutes)
READ or ASK students to read the learning tasks and clarify
ASK students if they have any questions before continuing
STEP 2: Definition of Quality of Medicines and Medical Supplies
(10 minutes)
Activity: Brainstorming (5 minutes)
ASK students to brainstorm on the following question:
ALLOW few pairs to respond and let other pairs to add on points not mentioned
WRITE their response on the flip chart/board
`
CLARIFY and SUMMARIZE by using the content below
o Quality of medicines and medical supplies can be defined in terms of suitability for the
intended use. Thus, several aspects are of importance are efficacy and safety of the
product conformity with specifications in terms of identity strength, purity and other
characteristics as specified in pharmacopoeia or pharmaceutical regulations.
STEP 3 Factors Affecting Quality of Stored Medicines and Medical Supplies
(15 minutes)
Activity: Buzzing (5 minutes)
ASK students to pair up and buzz on the following question for 5 minutes
ALLOW few pairs to respond and let other pairs to add on points not mentioned
WRITE their response on the flip chart/board
CLARIFY and SUMMARIZE by using the content below
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The following are factors which affect the quality of stored medicines and medical supplies
STEP 4: Consequences of Poor Storage of Medicines and Medical Supplies
(30 minutes)
o Heat leads to chemical decomposition, protein denaturation
o Temperature may cause some compound to melts e.g. ointment and become useless.
o Moisture can cause tablet to crumble
o Strong light will damage many medicine
o Microbial contamination may contaminate with medicines ingredients and cause
infection
o The chemicals in drugs can slowly react with the oxygen in the air
o Too high humidity may cause growth of fungus and mould in the stored medicines
o In very cold condition liquid medicine may freeze. Some vaccines, if they have been
frozen should not be used.
o Can chew through containers made of most materials around the content to become
contamination
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STEP 5: Describe Ways to Avoid the Effects of Medicines and Medical
Supplies Deterioration (35 minutes)
Activity: Small Group Discussion ( 15 minutes)
DIVIDE students into small manageable groups
ASK students to discuss on the following question
deterioration?
ALLOW students to discuss for 15 minutes
ALLOW few groups to present and the rest to add points not mentioned
CLARIFY and SUMMARIZE by using the contents below
o Temperature effect is avoided by storage in cold conditions, refrigerator, room
temperature and other temperature depending on a specific type of drug.
o In the storage room one must
Maintain a refrigerator temperature 2-8 C using thermometer
Keep freezers and refrigerators in shady, ventilated area
Record temperature in room and refrigerator three times a day
Compare the recorded temperature with the recommended temperature of their
medication
Minimize frequency and duration of opening the refrigerator
Keep the refrigerator well organized
Use refrigerator exclusively for medical product, not for food
o In humid climate, dehumidifiers are used for preventing moisture damage
o If there is no dehumidifiers use ventilating fans or opens windows
o Keep liquids in tinted glass
o Keep light sensitive items in their originally package
o Protect from sun
o Well-fitting lids on containers
o When you open containers keep it open for the shortest possible time
o Replace their lids securely and promptly
o Make your store as ―rat-proof‖,
o Use fine wire mesh in wall cracks and windows
o Stores good in pallets or shelves not on the floor
o Use rats trap or poison to kill rats
o Moisture effect is avoided by ensuring aeration in the store, ensure the store is dry, some
drugs contain sachets, ensuring drugs are retained in their original container, drying of
hands when handling drugs, the use of pellets
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o Store should be built in the shade or nearby trees
o Supplies should be kept out of direct sunlight
STEP 6: Identification of Signs of Deteriorated Medicines (15minutes)
examination of some damaged medicines can results the following
Medicines Sign of damage
1 – Compressed tablets swollen, crumpled and damp
2 – Ointments melted
3 – Adrenaline injection changes to brown colour
4 – Any medicine moulds or fungus growing
5 – Medicine containers holes or marks
6 – Tablets broken
STEP 7: Key Points (5 minutes)
temperature, humidity, light, air, etc.
damaged medicines or packaging materials
STEP 8: Evaluation (5minutes)
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References
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) ( 1997 ). Wizara ya Afya na Ustawi wa
Jamii cha muongozo wa utoaji sahihi na dawa . Dar es salaam : Tz Ministry of Health
and Social Welfare
Guidelines on the storage of essential drug in eastern and southern Africa (1991) by WHO with
the cooperation of the pharmaceutical industry through the International Federation of
Pharmaceutical Association IFPMA
Management Science for Health and World Health Organization. (1997). Managing Drug
Supply, (2nd ed.).West Hartford, Connecticut, USA: Kumarian Press
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