26 Nov 2013

Central Medical Stores experienced a systems challenge that hampered drug availability across health facilities.

Assistant Minister of Health, Dr Gloria Somolekae told Parliament on Monday, November 26, that the problem had been resolved and the latest reports indicated that by the end of October this year, the average medicines availability for vital and essential medicines at national level were 87 per cent at referral hospitals, 83 per cent at district hospitals, 86 per cent at primary hospitals and 83 per cent at clinics.

Dr Somolekae stated that drug availability for hypertensive drugs stood at 90 per cent whilst for diabetes it was above 95 per cent. The concept of engaging private pharmacies, she said, was primarily to decongest and reduce patient waiting times in health facilities. However, she said it would be rolled out to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital in the first quarter of 2014.

She said the initiative would also complement ongoing efforts of improving access to drugs, adding that already 3 000 patients were enrolled in the chronic disease medication dispensing programme in private pharmacies in Gaborone, citing pilot size.

Dr Somolekae stated that to date, six Batswana private pharmacies were participating. She said they were already seeing a decline in the average waiting time at PMH dispensary from 90 to 35 minutes.

The assistant minister was responding to a question asked by the MP for South East South Mr Odirile Motlhale who had asked if she was aware that many hospitals and clinics across the country continued to experience shortage of essential drugs such as those used to treat blood pressure and diabetic patients.

He stated that if so, she should give an update on the engagement of private pharmacies in dispensing drugs to alleviate the problem. Meanwhile the Minister of Environment Wildlife and Tourism (MEWT) Mr Tshekedi Khama told Parliament that there were no fish farmers in Ngamiland district.

Mr Khama was responding to a question asked by the MP for Ngamiland Mr Bagalatia Arone who had asked him to state the number of fish farmers in the Ngamiland district. ENDS