08 Jul 2015

Assistant Minister of Health, Dr Alfred Madigele has told parliament that his ministry has provided adequate number of staff to run normal clinic functions and to allow coverage in the event that one staff is away at one time.

However, Dr Madigele said he was aware of shortage of drugs such as antibiotics and antihypertensive.

He further stated that as at the end of June, the availability of antidiabetics and antihypertensive drugs in the Kanye south constituency were 80 percent and 67 percent respectively.

The assistant minister said they continue to explore and implement various initiatives to strengthen the drug supply chain management system.

In addition, he said they had recently allocated funds to all Districts Health Management Teams (DHMTs) to procure drugs that were out of stock in the Central Medical Stores from the private market to address drug availability.

MP for Kanye south, Mr Abram Kesupile had asked the minister if he was aware that clinics in the Kanye south constituency were running on acute shortage of staff and of essential drugs.

The MP also asked what steps would be taken to reduce the overload of work on the nurses and reduce pressure experienced when a nurse has to leave a clinic to take a patient on referral.

In addition, Mr Kesupile wanted to know the measures that were there to restock the clinics adequately with the essential drugs and ensue regular restocking. ENDS