A critical shortage of essential drugs and supplies has hit the Zambian public health system with most public health facilities completely running out of stock.
Several health workers interviewed in different parts of the country confirmed that the situation has been going on since October but worsened over the last few weeks.
Essential drugs and consumables have completely run out, leaving most health facilities paralysed.
Resident Doctors Association of Zambia Brian Sampa confirmed the deadly situation described it as disturbing.
Dr Sampa said it has become difficult for his members to deliver health care as some centres have completely run out of all the supplies.
Further investigations revealed that essential items such as cotton wool, gloves, needless have also completely run out including Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDTs), batteries for BP machine and specimen bottles.
Only medicines such as Septrin, Albendazole, Amoxyxl and Tetracycline eye ointment are available in a few facilities and are being dispensed in smaller doses.
In most facilities, Items such as stationary, Catheters, CT scan machines have either run out or have broken down.
Below is a list of drugs and consumables that are not available in public hospitals. The list was supplied by some Nurses and Doctors and independently verified.
-Syringes/Needles
-Cannula
-Gauges and swabs
-Gloves
-Sutures
-Forceps
-Medicines (More especially Injectable drugs)
-IV fluids
-Laboratory Reagents
-Condoms
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Lackson Kasonka confirmed the drug shortages and blamed it on the ongoing overhauling of the drug procurement system.
Prof Kasonka promised that drug supplies will start normalising by next week.
Talk is cheap….things are getting out of hands…don’t blame me I didn’t vote for demagogue President HH
Now I hear that cooperatives will be supplying drugs to our health institutions?
We need actions now by upnd they just talk too much, Lets see prices of items coming down especially mealie meal which is localy produced. If you employee doctors what they going to use now!!
#3 I suppose the money for the medicine has been used to employ medical staff.
And we spending US$5 million to put someone to rest…..if genius was a country…..no medication in hospitals…Zambians now subjected to just one meal a day…..
And we spending US$5 million to put someone to rest…..if genius was a country…..no medication in hospitals…Zambians now subjected to just one meal a day……..
The drug situation in government run facilities has been bad for a long time now. It was on this forum that we used to tell Chitalu Chilufya that he’d built empty medical hubs. We advocated for the decentralization of drug procurement. However, it’s also alarming that MoH hasn’t procured any drugs since the UPND took over. I hope they won’t say drugs will be bought from CDF. Sylvia has toured some institutions and I’m sure she’s been briefed but it’s like she doesn’t know what to do. By the way, the rate at which our fair comments are being moderated will make LT to soon find many posts without comments. We used to have above 100 comments on some topics but it’s no longer so
During the debate on the NHIMA Bill, we were assured that the pool of funds created by the insurance scheme will help improve the health service delivery in the country but it seems that’s not so. Where is our money?
And the minister claims the shortage has been on for the past 5 years? Does she hail from Zimbabwe, perhaps???
Madam, your blame-game is a demonstrated lack of self-respect choosing to deposit your negative actions onto others to reinforce you to be better.
Quit the blame game and get to work already!
WHATS NEW ??
HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN LACKING FOR MANY MANY YEARS NOW
SPEAK TO THE NURSES AND CARETAKERS OF THESE DRUGS
ITS COMMON KNOWLEDGE WHERE THEY GO
Let’s get real here. What is the current state of public institutions in our country? Are we managing to fund their activities from the budget and service sales that people are paid a salary for? If we haven’t evaluated this, it is time we sat down and assessed how we can go forward without reading such disturbing reports. Talking about the cost of a funeral in comparison to something like medicines in hospital is actually a conflation.
This drugs issue must be sorted out, we can not go on like that. And apart from drugs we don’t have water in PHI in Lusaka for the second day today. Lusaka water, just what is the issue again
Permanent secretary for technical services in the Ministry of Health Luxon Kasonka is already on record on yhis issue. There was rampant profiteering in the supply of drugs as prices that were being quoted were way above the market price. HH’s mantra is ” right price, right quality, right quantity”. Procurement staff want to fit in the HH administration because they know the consequences of deviating from the standard set.
New doom government
Hon Masebo is lost in this Ministry. she is busy politicking and trying to cut deals the old way but failing to attend to issues in her office.
She is even failing to understand and coordinate with her 2 p.s and make a proper response and action plan on drugs.
I remember we had an appointment with her office given by herself which she did not honour for 3 days. Kept on absconding and postponing till we saw that this woman is either too full of herself or she does not know what to say so she is running away from her role.
The P.S technical started off like an open minded person willing to take on challenges and sort issues of the past but Masebo has managed to intimidate him to be politically correct and not to attend to matters not politically correct.
Are we allowed to comment here?
At ndani uyu: u say u ve no water in PHI, first and foremost did u pay your water bills in full sir?
Meanwhile madam minister of health is heralding the new dawn govt in het every speech. Stop politicking madam and do some work. Stop wasting time blaming the past govt. It is you in office now, do your work and let us see results.
So says the master pf cadre