Percent of health facilities that had stock-outs of essential lifesaving medicines for mothers, newborns and children in a specified period

Percent of health facilities that had stock-outs of essential lifesaving medicines for mothers, newborns and children in a specified period


Number of health facilities that had stock-outs of essential lifesaving medicines for mothers (oxytocin, magnesium sulfate, dexamethasone, oral amoxicillin, injectable gentamicin (context-specific malaria rapid diagnostic tests, antimalarial and antiretroviral agents)), newborns and children (vaccines, oral rehydration salt, zinc, oral amoxicillin, injectable gentamicin (context-specific malaria rapid diagnostic tests, antimalarial and antiretroviral agents in a specified period))


Total number of health facilities.


Facility type, managing authority, specific type of medicine/commodity (e.g. priority medicines for women and children, mothers, newborns)


Stock out data may also refer to specific time period (1 month, 3 months).

Use of out-of-stock cards and direct observation to collect data through survey or routine information systems.  Availability is reported as the percentage of medicine outlets where a particular medicine was found on the day of the survey. Health facility reports may also include stockouts indicators but require regular independent verification.

See also: Percent of facilities that experienced a stockout at any point during a given time period


Health facility survey

Essential drugs survey

SARA (service availability and readiness assessment)

SPA (service provision assessment)

Routine logistic information system


This indicator measures the availability of physical resources at the facility. Access to 16 (possible) essential medicines for mothers and children are intended to be available within the context of functioning health systems at all times and in adequate amounts.


If it is not necessary or feasible to collect information on several essential medicines, other indicators on more specific essential medicines are available.


Service access and availability, Essential medicines, Commodities, Supply chain and logistics, Neonatal care, Obstetric care, Labor and delivery, Pediatric care, HIV care, Maternal health, Newborn health, Child health, Respiratory disease, Diarrheal disease, Malaria, PMTCT

World Health Organization (WHO). Consultation on Improving Measurement of the Quality of Maternal, Newborn and Child Care in Health Facilities.; 2013. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/128206/1/9789241507417_eng.pdf

World Health Organization (WHO). 2015 Global Reference List of 100 Core Health Indicators.; 2015. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/173589/1/WHO_HIS_HSI_2015.3_eng.pdf

Filed under: Child health , Commodities , Diarrheal disease , Essential medicines , HIV care , Labor and delivery , Malaria , Maternal health , Neonatal care , Newborn health , Obstetric care , PMTCT , Pediatric care , Respiratory disease , Service access and availability , Supply chain and logistics
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