STATE TO PROBE DRUGS SHORTAGE
GOVERNMENT says it will investigate the reported drug shortages in some hospitals around the country, Ministry of Health spokesperson Abel Kabalo has said.
Reacting to some reports that there was a shortage of essential drugs in some hospitals, Dr Kabalo said it was surprising to learn about the shortage because the government recently received a consignment of drugs and other materials which have been distributed across the country and added to the already existing stock. He said Lusaka being the capital was one of the first to receive. “It is surprising to hear about those reports then we are going to investigate this to find out the truth because we received drugs last week so we don’t expect such reports,”Dr Kabalo said. Dr Kabalo commended government for stocking up on drugs to add to the already existing stock. There have been reports of shortage of essential drugs in some hospitals and clinics in Lusaka and surrounding areas of late. A check at some selected clinics such as Chawama clinc and Chingwele level one Hospital revealed that some patients are being given prescriptions to buy essential drugs and surgical materials such as IV fluids. At Chawama clinic which was still congested by 15:30 hours, a patient talked to said she went to the hospital around 06 hours but was only attended to after 14:00hrs. She said she was given some of the drugs and a prescription to buy the other drugs that were not available at the clinic. Another patient claimed that those who did not know any medical personnel at the clinic were not attended to quickly. At Chingwere Level One Hospital, the situation was the same as the health facility was still congested by 16:30 hours on Monday. Some patients talk complained that they were only given pain killers and prescriptions for major drugs.