• Login
    View Item 
    •   SU+ Home
    • Research and Publications
    • Faculty of Information Technology (FIT)
    • FIT Projects, Theses and Dissertations
    • MSIT Theses and Dissertations
    • MSIT Theses and Dissertations (2014)
    • View Item
    •   SU+ Home
    • Research and Publications
    • Faculty of Information Technology (FIT)
    • FIT Projects, Theses and Dissertations
    • MSIT Theses and Dissertations
    • MSIT Theses and Dissertations (2014)
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    A traceability information system for curbing counterfeiting: case of the health sector in Kenya

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Thesis (1.286Mb)
    Date
    2014
    Author
    Thuku, Ndungú Eric
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    The pharmaceuticals industry in Kenya is lucrative and fast growing and as a result of this, counterfeit pharmaceutical products have made it into the market, Nzomo (2011). End consumers do not have a way by which they can confirm or check the authenticity of the medicines they purchase at the point of sale. In addition, the large volumes of pharmaceutical products and the large numbers of pharmacies in the market have become impossible for the regulatory body to monitor, UNIDO (2010). The counterfeits market is demand-driven, the more the consumers purchase counterfeit products the more the market thrives. Therefore, by getting rid of the demand, the counterfeits market would eventually die out. Getting rid of the demand involves enabling end consumers avoid purchasing counterfeits; this can be achieved by providing a platform through which the end consumer can tell apart a genuine product and a counterfeit at the point of sale. This thesis proposes implementation of a prototype of an automated traceability system to help end consumers verify the authenticity of the products they purchase. The prototype creates electronic linkages of the products as they move downstream through the supply chain. With the creation of these linkages, product information is captured at each step. The prototype makes it possible for the Pharmacy and Poisons Board to monitor flow of the products as well as the suppliers. It also makes it possible to query for a particular medicine and get its details on the spot. End consumers are thus able to accurately verify the authenticity of the medicine they purchase at the point of sale and are therefore able to avoid purchase of counterfeit medicines. The results of this study revealed loopholes that are exploited by counterfeiters allowing counterfeit products to enter the market. It became apparent that there is a need of an automated traceability system to seal these loopholes. A prototype was developed based on user requirements gathered and put to test using selected participants. It was observed that the prototype offers for easy traceability, prompt product recall procedures and an easy way to query for medicine details.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11071/2332
    Collections
    • MSIT Theses and Dissertations (2014) [25]

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV
     

     

    Browse

    All of SU+Communities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    Login

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV