Analysis of Customer Satisfaction and Drug Product Quality in exploring Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Operational Excellence in Lagos state, Nigeria.

Abstract

The thesis analysed customer satisfaction and drug product quality which are both elements of Operational Excellence in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Lagos state, Nigeria through quantitative and qualitative research methods (a questionnaire-based survey and phone interviews). The perspectives of drug consumers and NAFDAC regulatory personnel as regards satisfaction with pharmaceutical products, factors influencing customer satisfaction, level of drug product quality and factors affecting drug quality were evaluated to ascertain the state of Operational Excellence of the local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry and promote recommendations for its improvement. Both groups of regulatory personnel and customers were compared to determine their perspectives on the quality of drug products and level of satisfaction with locally manufactured drugs in terms of purity levels, appropriate drug components, drug efficacy, safety, availability, affordability and packaging. A total of 280 out of 309 participated in the survey, of which 202 (72.1%) were customers and 78 (27.9%) were NAFDAC regulatory personnel. Interestingly, only 14 (5%) respondents evaluated the overall quality of locally manufactured drugs to be poor with 10 (12.8%) of them being regulatory personnel, while 55 (19.5%) respondents were generally indifferent about the quality of drugs in the state, 40 (51.3%) of them being regulatory personnel. The larger percentage, 211 (75.5%) respondents were either of the opinion that drug quality in the state was somewhat good or very good. Of this category, 69 (24%) respondents, all of which were customers believed locally manufactured drugs in the state were 100% good quality drugs. From the analysis conducted, 193 (68.9%) of the respondents were satisfied with the price, availability, efficacy and safety of locally manufactured drugs in Lagos state, 36 (18.7%) of which were regulatory personnel and 147 (76.1%) being customers. The rest were either indifferent or unsatisfied of which the majority were indifferent. Inadequate funding of the industry by the government to improve standard of operations and insufficient regulatory checks on manufacturing processes and products remained the most challenging factors affecting product quality of locally manufactured drugs in the state while inadequate training of the manufacturing staff to ensure compliance with standard procedures was the least reported challenge. Frequent regulatory checks on pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, indefinite shutdown of consistently defaulting pharmaceutical manufacturing companies and seizure or destruction of substandard products will be effective in ensuring utmost quality of locally manufactured drug products in the state. Adequate product evaluation and testing by regulatory authorities before products are released into the market and provision of customer complaint platforms by pharmaceutical manufacturing companies are sustainable recommendations to improve product quality and customer satisfaction with locally manufactured drugs in Lagos, Nigeria