Health Minister Sasa Zibe’s directive to reform the Health Department’s medical supplies branch was applauded by the doctors’ union body yesterday.
The National Doctors Association president Dr Kauve Pomat said reforming the medical supplies branch for better was long overdue and the initiative taken by the minister was commendable and an effort many people would benefit.
Dr Pomat said the issue of medical drugs not reaching the health centres and aid posts had been highlighted for many years but only band aid approaches were taken.
With the current reform into the two areas of procurement and distribution the problem would hopefully be eased, Dr Pomat said.
“It is not the issue of funding. There is malpractices and misuse of powers and position within the Health Department’s pharmaceutical board and the pharmaceutical division resulting in the problem,” he added.
He said overhauling of the system was a move in the right direction and the National Dostors Association fully supported the minister in his foresight.
In the reform the department will outsource the function of buying and distribution of medical drugs and supplies.
A nonstatutory organisation would be created to cater for this function or it would be outsourced to the private sector for effective delivery of medical drugs and supplies to health centres in the rural areas.
In revealing the reform Mr Zibe said a taskforce specifically looked into the current functions of the medical supplies branch (MSB) and split the functions into two distinct roles – one for regulation and standards, and the other for procurement and distribution.
Under the new arrangement, the Health Department would be responsible for the regulatory functions of monitoring, quality and standards with other underlying areas.
The issue of drug shortages and drugs not reaching hospitals, health centres and aid posts had been ongoing for the last 15 years.