Govt allays fears of looming drug crisis

Dar es Salaam. The government has allayed fears over the availability of drugs in public hospitals.

The Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, gave the assurance yesterday, a day after advocacy organisation Sikika raised the alarm over what it said was inadequate allocation of funds for the Medical Stores Department (MSD).

According to Sikika, the government has released to MSD Sh20 billion towards the end of the first quarter of 2016/17, which is only 32 per cent of the money it was supposed to get during the period.

However, M Mwalimu told The Citizen yesterday that there was no need for the public to worry.

“Actually, the government should be commended for increasing funds for the purchase of drugs. If you look at 2015/16, only Sh24 billion was released to MSD during the entire year,” she said.

The minister added that the government was committed to improving the availability of essential medicine and medical supplies to Tanzanians.

Releasing a drug supply monitoring report on Sunday, Sikika Executive Director Irenei Kiria said there was shortage of essential medicines and medical supplies.

But Ms Mwalimu said the government had already ordered 137,000 units of paracetamol tablets from a local manufacturer, adding that 10,000 units of the painkiller had already been delivered to MSD.

“In addition, a consignment of other essentials has been ordered. The public should be patient as things are under control...enough drugs will be available at affordable prices.”

The minister added that the government had also allowed regional and district hospitals and health centres to purchase medicines directly from manufacturers instead of middlemen.

Ms Mwalimu reiterated the government’s commitment to clearing the Sh143 billion it owes MSD.

Some stakeholders who spoke to The Citizen urged the government to allocate and release enough funds to MSD for the purchase of drugs.

Legal and Human Rights Centre Executive Director Hellen Kijo-Bisimba said the government should table an emergency request in Parliament for more funds for MSD to curb shortages of essential medicines.

“Since the government has been calling on individuals and entities who owe it money to pay up, it too should make sure that it settles its debt at MSD to enable Tanzanians to be provided with inexpensive health care,” she said.

ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe urged the government to focus on Tanzanians’ interests instead of spending money on paying companies through dubious deals.

“If you remember, the government lost $245 million through the Escrow scandal and if it pays Standard Chartered Bank-Hong Kong as directed by the International Centre for Settlement of International of Disputes, the country will end up paying Sh320 billion. This sum is three times what the government owes MSD,” said the Kigoma Urban MP.