GOV’T UGED: SACK THE PS
By CHARLES KADAMANA
OPPOSITION leader Manasseh Maelanga has called for the sacking of the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health & Medical Services in the wake of the drug shortage crisis in the country.
Mr Maelanga blamed Dr Tenneth Dalipanda for bungling of the procurement of medicine which he said resulted in the current shortage of medicine at the NRH.
And he urged the Ministry to reinstate the responsibility for procurement of medicine to the National Medical Stores Division.
“The Opposition understands that a decision to remove the responsibility for procurement of drugs from the National Medical Stores Division to a centralized procurement unit within the ministry was made by the Permanent Secretary earlier this year,” Mr Maelanga said yesterday.
“We were shocked and dismayed to learn that even then, the new centralized procurement unit within MHMS lacks the capacity to handle the technically complex process of drugs procurement,” he added.
The Opposition leader said information reaching his office claim that the availability of medicine on the national supply level is currently down to 50%, which potentially means that most services at the NRH and clinics around the country will be severely affected.
He said they understand that an urgent interim drug procurement order for urgently required medicine is being put together by the Ministry but could take up to October for the consignment to arrive in country.
“The country is currently facing a drug supply issue which impacts on national health, safety and security.
“It places lives at undue risk and creates many difficulties for delivery of health services.
“The government therefore must take immediate action to address the issue and take steps necessary to effect changes within the Ministry to ensure that risk mitigation strategies are developed to avoid any future recurrence of such a problem.
“The National Medical Stores should be developed into a national body responsible for gathering and sharing of information on the demand and supply of medicines.”
When contacted, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Referral Hospital, Dr Steve Aumanu, referred the Solomon Star queries to the head of the Medical Store, William Horoto.
But Mr Horoto referred our queries to Permanent Secretary Dr Dalipanda.
Dr Dalipanda failed to reply to our queries about the drug shortage.
