Examining Healthcare Workers’ Perspectives Concerning Medical Equipment Availability in Three Ethiopian Hospitals: A Qualitative Pilot Study

Background Hospitals in the United States often have an abundance of unused medical supplies and equipment while many developing countries are in considerable need of these resources. Many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have donated medical equipment to health centers in low-resource settings to rectify this issue; however, studies show many of these donations are not usable by the facilities that receive them. To better serve the partner hospitals of our NGO, Oasis Medical Relief, we investigated the perspectives and insights of Ethiopian healthcare workers (HCWs) on the medical equipment distribution paradigm of the country. Methodology Qualitative analysis including semi-structured, open-ended interviews was conducted. Semi-structured interviews (n = six) were conducted with HCWs (four physicians and two hospital administrators) working in hospitals in Addis Ababa and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Categorical content analysis was utilized to develop themes. The topical areas addressed by our questions include populations served, prevalence of diseases, laws, and strategies guiding medical equipment distribution, funding and budget for medical equipment, etc. Results Three themes related to perspectives and insights of HCWs on the current medical equipment distribution paradigm in Ethiopia interviewed include: (1) state of healthcare concerns, (2) medical equipment scarcity, and (3) policy shaping medical distribution paradigm. Conclusions Pre-donation assessments utilized to understand equipment needs are recognized by the World Health Organization to more effectively address medical equipment/supply. However, to further strengthen such efforts, qualitative interviews with HCWs are a tool that can be utilized to better understand the intricacies of Ethiopia’s complex medical distribution paradigm. This can potentially lead to more effective partnerships between NGOs and their partner hospitals. Furthermore, increasing decentralized methods of procuring medical equipment should be further explored to mitigate issues with national distribution of medical supplies.