OSHAKATI – The Ministry of Health and Social Services is on the verge of phasing out multiple tablet anti-retroviral (ARV) dosage to a single tablet dose per day.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Services Andrew Ndishishi disclosed that a single dose would be convenient and less expensive and ease mobility and pill burden.
Ndishishi made the revelation in an interview at the ongoing planning meeting with management and middle management cadres from the ministry.
According to Ndishishi, the ministry is gradually introducing the single dose and at the same time trying to put the patients who are already on ARVs on trial to migrate to the single dose.
“We are creating awareness, we have trained medical personnel to educate patients who are already on ARVs and the response has been positive. However, there are a few complaints from patients that maybe the single dose would not be effective,” explained the health PS.
The ministry has also taken the initiative to put HIV-positive patients on ARVs while they are still strong rather than to wait until the patient is weak which has been the case.
Ndishishi however dismissed media reports that the ministry has run out of medication.
“We have an essential drug list – when one line of treatment is not there you go to the next one,” stated Ndishishi.
He assured that the ministry is doing its best to conduct research to identify the medications that are no longer manufactured.
Health officials are attending a weeklong budget planning meeting to review the ministry’s first quarter activities in line with the set strategic and annual plan to come up with correctional measures before the end of the year.
Secondly, the meeting seeks to address the recommendations made by the presidential commission of inquiry into the health ministry.
“There have been several recommendations, however there are limited resources, but we will try to achieve the best we can within the limited resources to achieve the national development goals and Vision 2030,” he said.
The third issue is to address the issue of Kavango East, which at the moment has no personnel and no budget. According to Ndishishi the new region needs a hospital of its own and clinics.
The meeting is expected to budget for funds to be used within the next three financial years, the execution rates and the current financial plan. The ministry is also going to expand its departments from three to six.
Last week, the ministry issued tenders to local companies to furnish the ministry with clinical supplies and ARVs over the next two years.
The move targets to address the shortage of supplies and medication in the ministry.
By Nuusita Ashipala