Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 50 | Published: 08 Oct 2026
Lena Donkor-Tano1,2,&, Rita Kusi Asante2, Martha Arkaa Frimpong2, Samuel Sackey2, Magdalene Akos Odikro2, Nathaniel Nana Kwabena Nkrumah1
1Food and Drugs Authority, Ashanti Region, Ghana; 2Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (GFETP), School of Public Health, University of Ghana
&Corresponding author: Lena Donko-Tano, Food and Drugs Authority, Ashanti Region, Ghana, Email: lena.donkor-tano@fda.gov.gh
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 08 Oct 2026
Domain: Health Systems
Keywords: Root cause, reports, timeliness, submission, fishbone
©Lena Donkor-Tano et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Lena Donkor-Tano et al,. Enhancing timeliness in inspection report submission for regulatory compliance and efficiency, Food and Drugs Authority, Ashanti Region, 2026. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):50. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0050
Delayed submission of inspection reports can undermine regulatory efficiency and compliance. Review of the Inspection Report Submission Logbook for the first quarter of 2026 revealed that only 70% (49/70) of inspection reports were submitted within the required 10 working days. This problem analysis assessed factors contributing to delayed submission of inspection reports by officers of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ashanti Regional Office (ARO).
A cross-sectional study was employed from 30th April to 6th May 2026, involving sixteen (16) regulatory officers from the Inspectorate, Registration, Enforcement, and Safety Monitoring units. Data was collected through brainstorming and one-on-one discussions using convenience sampling. Findings were analyzed using a Fishbone diagram to identify and categorize root causes.
Twenty-two (22) root causes of delayed submission of reports were identified and were grouped under four categories: Staff, Administration, Logistics, and Compliance. The analysis identified inadequate training on report writing as the critical root cause leading to poor-quality reports and repeated reviews that delayed submission timelines. Assessment of the degree of control indicated that 63.6% (14/22) were partially within control, 27.3% (6/22) were totally within control and 9.1% (2) were beyond the regional office’s control.
A wide range of root causes were identified to contribute to delayed report submission, with inadequate training on report writing identified as the critical cause. Most of the factors were within the control of the regional office. Regular staff training on report writing is essential in improving timely report submission.
Menu