PHA stocks up on drugs

THE Western health authority (WPHA) has ordered a buffer stock of medical drug supplies to address drug shortage issues in health facilities across the province, an official says.
WPHA chief executive officer Dr Niko Wuatai said the buffer stock was processed among drug orders for the months of June and July for all facilities in the province.
Wuatai said the buffer stock would serve as a standby stock to supply urgent or emergency orders upon request from facilities.
“The buffer stock is a reserve supply of medicine kept in Daru to supply health facilities in times when there is no stock,” he said.
“This will ensure consistent supply of medicine throughout the province this year.
“The buffer stock will now be prepared and packed for the province on a regular basis.”
WPHA officer Gabriel Tambui said: “Geographical challenges are the main causes of delays in delivering the monthly drug orders on time.
“Most medical supplies are exhausted during this holdup.”
The buffer stock, consisting of 57 cartons of assorted medical drug supplies with the June and July orders, had been shipped and were now in the provincial warehouse in Daru awaiting distribution.
WPHA acknowledged the PNGAust Partnership for supporting the shipment of the drugs to Daru.