A SPECIAL ministerial task force looking into the problems facing medical supplies has recommended an overhaul of the current procurement and distribution system.
It also directed Health Secretary Dr Clement Malau to carry out the task force recommendations with urgency.
Headed by Dr Malau, the panel was created last Oct 12 by Health Minister Sasa Zibe to resolve problems preventing the regular and timely supply of medicines and drugs to hospitals and rural health facilities.
The task force report was submitted last Tuesday in which it recommended the fast-tracking of urgent changes and have the reform put in place within the next three years.
One major recommendation had been the reorientation of medical and drug supply system.
Here, it recommended the separation of the two functions carried out by the Medical Supplies Branch (MSB) which are the regulation and setting standards, and procurement and distribution.
Under the new set up, the National Department of Health (NDOH) will handle the regulatory functions of monitoring, quality control and standards with special attention to:
*Regulation and registration system for pharmaceuticals;
*Medicines policy;
*Access to essential medicines – appropriate selection of essential medicines and supplies for provincial and district hospitals, health centres and aid posts and monitoring the availability of medicines and medical supplies at health facility level;
*Quality and safety – quality control and reporting system for adverse effects; and
*Rational use of pharmaceuticals – development of clinical guidelines for treatment of common diseases, creation of therapeutic and drug committees in hospitals and training of health workers in rational and evidence based use of medicine
A separate non-statutory body will be formed to carry out procurement and distribution, or that this function be out-sourced to private entities.