WINDHOEK – Patients seeking medicine at state hospitals continue to complain of a shortage of medicines and pharmaceutical supplies, which often results in them purchasing these supplies at private pharmacies. New Era was told of various incidences where patients are told to buy catheters, syringes and various medicines for various ailments at private pharmacies because they are out of stock at state pharmacies.
In a recent interview with New Era, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ben Nangombe said for the past two years there was no public tender and therefore it was difficult to have a fixed supplier of pharmaceuticals and some of the prescription drugs.
“Therefore, the ordering of medicine is being done on ad-hoc basis and as you know when we order the medicine, we don’t necessarily order directly from the manufacturers,” said Nangombe in a recent exclusive interview. This has resulted in the delays in delivering medicines and pharmaceuticals to the various state facilities, explained Nangombe.
New Era again contacted Nangombe to comment on the shortage of medicines and other pharmaceutical supplies which is currently being experienced at state health facilities and he alluded to tenders advertised recently by the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
The tender for ARVs is being adjudicated while the one for pharmaceuticals was sent back to the bid evaluation committee of the Central Procurement Board, explained Nangombe. “It’s going on,” he said yesterday. In the meantime, the medicines and pharmaceuticals are being bought on an ad hoc basis, explained Nangombe.
“We are doing everything within the resources we have at the moment. The Central Medical Stores has worked hard to improve their forecasting,” added Nangombe.
Caption (Drugs): Short supply…some prescription drugs and pharmaceutical products continue being in short supply at pharmacies at state hospitals.