By HAIVETA KIVIA
HEALTH centres in Lae city have reportedly run out of medical drugs and have been turning away people seeking treatment.
An officer who wished to remain anonymous said there was virtually no drugs at her health centre for the past one week.
She said the Base Medical Store had refused to give them their supplies of drugs citing “stock-take”.
“We have been turning away patients,” she told The National.
It is understood that most of these health centres treat an average of 150 patients a day and with the rainy spell, the numbers are usually higher.
Morobe health adviser Dr Likei Theo said the drug shortage was a problem for two days but the situation had since been rectified.
However, only the Butibam health centre confirmed that supplies had arrived.
The centres at Malahang, Milfordhaven and Buimo maintained that they had yet to receive supplies.
One officer said the Base Medical Store had refused to release supplies because it was preparing for a stock-take on Oct 22.
“This is despite us placing our orders several weeks ago,” she said, adding that they could only diagnose people seeking treatment but had no drugs to give them.
“Our Lae district health adviser tried to talk to the people at the Base Medical Store but she was also turned away and we do not know when we will receive our supply of drugs.”
The officer said this problem had existed for a long time and those concerned should resolve it once and for all.
“We are dealing with people’s lives. We should never run out of drugs, especially when the Base Medical Store is right here in Lae,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Lae general hospital reported no increase in the number of patients.


 

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