An analysis of the standard operating procedures affecting downstream supply chain management of hazardous products within humanitarian organization in Kenya: A case of doctors without borders, Kenya supply unit.

Abstract

The study sought to analyze the standard operating procedures affecting downstream supply chain management within humanitarian organization in Kenya: – The case of Doctors without Borders, Kenya Supply Unit. The factors under analysis were Print Guidelines, Implementation of the International Guidelines, Disposal Procedures and Information Sharing. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the influence of print guideline on downstream supply chain management of hazardous products within humanitarian organizations in Kenya, to establish the effect of international guidelines on downstream supply chain management of hazardous products within humanitarian organizations in Kenya, to examine the influence of disposal procedures on downstream supply chain management of hazardous products within humanitarian organizations in Kenya, to determine the effect of information sharing on downstream supply chain management of hazardous products within humanitarian organizations in Kenya. The research adopted both qualitative and quantitative to do a case study of Doctors without Borders. The result of data analysis showed that print guidelines helps in the safe transportation of hazardous products. It also showed that the implementation of international guidelines, disposal procedures and information sharing enhances the safe mobility of the hazardous products within the Doctors Without Borders. A questionnaire was used in data collection and quantitative data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences while qualitative data was analyzed objectively. SPSS version 21 package was used because it is a comprehensive system for analyzing data and can take data from many types of files and use it to generate descriptive statistics and tabulated reports. The tools used for data analysis were measures of central tendency which involved the mean, median and mode and the sample size was of 212 respondents from a population of 450 employees of Doctors Without Borders, MSF Kenya Supply Unit and Clients Missions (Health facilities) supplied by MSF Kenya Supply Unit. The research showed that organizations ensure that there is good information on familiarizing the staff and consumers on the handling of the hazardous products. Also, most organization purchases environmentally friendly products and biodegradable products. Organizations are concerned on the reduction of carbon blue prints on the transportation of goods. Organizations dispose needles and syringes through implementation of certificate of destruction where disposal solution was used by organizations for the cytotoxic products to cure cancer.