The Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) is procuring essential drugs to address shortages of medicines in health facilities in the region, Eastern Province health authorities have disclosed.
Eastern Province Health Director, Mathews Ng’ambi, said ZAMMSA has made progress in procuring some commodities that are lacking in some health facilities.
Dr Ng’ambi said surgical supplies and medical drugs will be in stock within a few weeks as the procurement process has reached an advanced stage.
He told ZANIS that the reorganisation of ZAMMSA has been completed hence the supply chain of medical supplies will be in place.
Dr Ng’ambi said the government has guided that health facilities in districts can use 30 per cent of their operational funds to procure drugs to supplement the supplies from ZAMMSA.
“Our facilities are therefore advised by the government to use up to 30 per cent of their operational funds in order to procure the drugs that they need when there is a gap,” he said.
Dr Ng’ambi further said the government has enough funds to buy medical drugs for all health facilities.
He said health facilities in the province have adequate supplies of AntiRetroviral Viral (ARVs) drugs, antibiotics, anti-malarial drugs, flagyl and injectable antibiotics.
Dr Ng’ambi explained that the high consumption rate of some medical commodities has led to speculations of drug shortages despite the availability of certain medicines.
“Some smaller facilities at times can run out of some drugs but they normally use their own funds to buy what they need or lack to cushion the shortage experienced,” he said.
He noted that most of the time, isolated health facilities run out of drugs for non-communicable diseases like diabetes and BP medicines.
