‘No drug shortages in Manicaland’

THERE is no shortages of drugs, including ARVs in Manicaland, the Provincial Medical Director Dr Patron Mafaune has said.

Dr Mafaune said this while responding to questions on the state of drug availability in Manicaland by Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa during a briefing held at Mutare Provincial Hospital last Friday.

She said they had not received any complaints of shortages of ARVs from the province’s seven districts.

“We have no shortages of ARVs here since we have not received any complaints from the districts,” she said.

Mutare Provincial Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Jaensch Masanga, also acknowledged the availability of the ARVs.

Dr Parirenyatwa, who was the guest of honour at the official hand over of the Intensive Care Unit and Renal Unit equipment donated to the hospital by its partners, also expressed concern over deaths caused by malaria and maternal problems in the province.

“We had a long briefing on what is happening in Manicaland in terms of health care,” he said.

“I must say it is quite impressive, all the indicators have really improved except that this year malaria has killed more people than in previous years and that maternal mortality rate went slightly up this year.”