Medicine supply

THE current trend in chronic shortage of basic medical supplies can no longer be ignored.
The public must take a stand against the Government for negligence of health care to its population.
The people are disadvantaged by illiteracy, inaccessibility
by road, transport and communication to basic health services throughout Papua New
Guinea.
The supplies include antibiotics, antimalarial drugs and protective gear including latex gloves, masks and sundry.
Why should patients be running around with medical prescriptions that are being denied by every public Government hospital?
There are no drugs to cure typhoid fever, pneumonia, malaria, dysentery, dental infection, ad infinitum.
We never had similar experiences when essential medical supplies were distributed from
the base medical store in Konedobu.
This went through to regional warehouses in Lae, Morobe, and Rabaul, East New Britain, then on to area medical stores in major towns.
This happened before independence and for the first 20 years after independence.
It is now a national concern that since the distribution of basic medical supplies were contracted to private companies, the vulnerable population in PNG – women, children, TB patients, asthma patients, PLWHIVA, malaria patients and people afflicted by all forms of infection – are suffering some of the worst kind of Government negligence on a global scale.
Health and HIV/AIDS Minister Sir Puka Temu made a public statement in January on the release of vital medication.
This had not been the first such assurance by current and previous health ministers.
The constant ‘nil stock’ of essential and basic medication by hospital pharmacies is now a major concern to health workers and patients alike.

Gerard Saleu
Advocate for the vulnerable
Goroka