Logistics Optimization Practices and Performance of Eye Health Non-Governmental Organizations in Kenya.

Access to eye care in Kenya remains limited, particularly in rural and underserved regions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a pivotal role in bridging this gap. However, delayed deliveries, stock-outs of critical items such as intraocular lenses and ophthalmic drugs, high transportation costs and weak inventory management continue to undermine the timeliness and reach of eye health programmes. Logistics optimization has therefore emerged as an important approach through which eye health NGOs can improve the availability, accessibility and cost effectiveness of their services. The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of logistics optimization practices on the performance of eye health NGOs in Kenya. It examined four practices, namely demand planning, inventory rationalization, collaborative logistics and last-mile delivery. The study was anchored on the Demand Management Theory, Economic Order Quantity Model, Social Exchange Theory and Service Quality Theory. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, targeting the 27 eye health NGOs in Kenya listed by the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2024, with logistics officers, procurement officers and store officers as the units of observation. Primary data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire, which was pilot tested on eight respondents; all Cronbach’s alpha coefficients exceeded 0.70. Data were analysed using SPSS version 28 through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. A total of 78 questionnaires were returned, a response rate of 97.5%. The findings revealed that the four practices jointly explained 50.4% of the variation in performance. Collaborative logistics had the strongest influence on performance, followed by demand planning and inventory rationalization, all of which were positive and statistically significant, while last-mile delivery had a positive but statistically insignificant influence. The study concluded that collaborative logistics, demand planning and inventory rationalization are significant drivers of the performance of eye health NGOs in Kenya. The study therefore recommends that eye health NGOs should update demand forecasts frequently using real-time field and patient data; strengthen inventory classification and staff training; formalize the sharing of logistics resources with partner organizations; and train drivers on optimized routes, review routes regularly and build buffer times into delivery schedules.