Modelling supply chain basic health sanitation challenges in district high schools: North West Province.

Abstract

Basic health sanitation is an essential human need. However, many South African schools confront challenges in providing a sufficient level of basic health sanitation. These have been exacerbated by the global Covid-19 pandemic. This study employed the Supply Chain Operations Reference model to examine the challenges affecting efficient and effective supply chain sanitation operations in high schools. Its objectives were to establish how high schools develop an operations plan for integrated supply chain sanitation and hygiene; evaluate how these schools’ sourcing strategies facilitate improved service delivery; establish how high schools’ operations processes influence sanitation, hygiene and service delivery; and to determine how schools’ waste management systems in relation to sanitation and hygiene influence the type of material, products and packaging systems. An exploratory design was adopted to examine the challenges affecting high schools’ supply chain sanitation operations. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data collected from 21 participants in high schools in Ngaka Modiri Molema District, and two from the Department of Basic Education in North West Province. The results showed that the majority of schools, especially those in rural areas, confront supply chain basic health sanitation challenges such as a shortage of water and sanitary pads as well as vandalism, with the lack of financial resources identified as a significant challenge. Based on the findings, supply chain integration is recommended as a possible solution to these challenges.