Rural health institutions hit by drug shortages Dr Nyasha Masuka
 Dr Nyasha Masuka

Dr Nyasha Masuka

Thandeka Moyo, Health Reporter
ESSENTIAL drug shortages continue to haunt Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South rural health institutions, which have gone for months with limited or no access to the medicines.

According to score cards from Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), villagers in the two regions have been failing to access medicines including Paracetamol for asthma, BP and other chronic diseases due to stock outs.

Matabeleland North provincial medical director Dr Nyasha Masuka confirmed that some institutions were struggling for medicines due to lack of supply.

“Medicines are a perennial problem in most public health institutions and yes rural centres are the most affected. I know that availability of vital medicines nationally is just 57 percent and that shows we still have a challenge,” said Dr Masuka.

He said the situation was sometimes worsened by NatPharm’s incapability to deliver.

“This has been a major challenge for ages now and that’s why patients are referred elsewhere to buy medicines hence no health worker would be surprised by this. The medicines that patients are mostly assured of getting are for HIV, malaria and TB because they are donor funded and the medicines for pregnant women and under-fives,” said Dr Masuka.

His Matabeleland South counterpart Dr Rudo Chingonzoh said the situation had been improving over the past months.

“I can safely say that challenge is experienced in some not all institutions and we are doing our best to address it. The situation has improved ever since the Government availed $16 million through the Health Levy Fund that will see the purchase of medicines and other accessories to curb shortages in public institutions,” said Dr Chingonzoh.

She said supply chain management delivery challenges affected the availability of the medicines.

“This problem affects certain districts at a given time who may have challenges with deliveries. The situation is dynamic and changes from time to time but I am glad to confirm that we have received medicine for hypertension and rabies recently, which is a huge improvement,” said Dr Chingonzoh.

CWGH executive director Mr Itai Rusike said while Government policies on essential drugs had significantly widened treatment access, there was evidence that access to basic medication like Paracetamol has fallen in recent years.

“We need to advocate for more immediate policy attention to be given to significant obstacles in drug access. This includes foreign currency supplies to Natpharm and timely payment of the company’s debts as this hinders its capacity to deliver some of these medicines,” said Mr Rusike.

@thamamoe

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