Availability of adolescents and youth sexual and reproductive health commodities in public healthcare centers in Tanzania following the adoption of supply chain integration

Abstract

While more efforts and interventions are directed at improving the health of young men and women in many developing countries, this study posits that supply chain integration (SCI) is the pillar of healthcare facilities in ensuring the availability of adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) commodities. This descriptive study assessed the availability of AYSRH commodities in Tanzania with an emphasis on the ongoing implementation of SCI. The study focused on the downstream level of the AYSRH service delivery by observing the public healthcare centers in four regions of Tanzania and employed a cross-sectional facility-based analysis to describe the availability of AYSRH commodities. The results indicate that short-term AYSRH commodities (such as male condoms and oral contraceptives) have a high rate of availability compared to long-term commodities such as IUDs, implants, and STI starter packs. Also, the voice of the youth captured through youth exit-intercepts revealed how commodity stockout and long waiting time hinder them from receiving AYSRH services. The study underscores the SCI potential by revealing the current level of AYSRH commodity availability, which is mainly attributed to the ongoing integration between relevant healthcare actors. The study recommends that more emphasis be directed towards improving SCI to improve the availability of long-term contraceptives and STI treatment commodities.