Supplier joins fight against theft of drugs

RABAUL’S main medical drug supplier, Area Medical Store (AMS), is now a member of a provincial government panel set up to address the illegal sale of medical drugs on the streets of East New Britain.
The panel comprises of officials from the provincial health office, PNG Customs Service (formerly IRC), Chamber of Commerce and Rabaul Catholic Archdiocese.
In the panel’s second meeting yesterday, Rabaul AMS acting technical adviser Ben Selep said a memo was sent out early this month warning all staff that drugs taken out of the medical store without approval would be treated as theft and unauthorised persons would not be allowed into the premises.
He said a senior store supervisor and pharmacy technical logistics officer was appointed to monitor the movement of medical supplies dispatched to all health facilities in ENB by checking all single cartons loaded onto any vehicle picking up supplies at the two warehouses in Rabaul and Kokopo.
He said the transferring of drugs between the two warehouses would also be monitored.
Mr Selep said he had also held discussions with a security firm in Rabaul to tighten up security at the medical store in Rabaul.