Kandorozu disputes medicine stock claims

NUDO MP Vetaruhe Kandorozu has accused the health ministry of misleading the public about the availability of medicine.

His criticism, in a letter dated 23 May, follows a 17 May ministry update, which claimed pharmaceutical stock levels had reached 60% after new supplies were delivered.

The ministry said the deliveries formed part of efforts to improve the availability of medicines nationwide and included products such as propofol injections, carbamazepine tablets, doxycycline capsules, methyldopa tablets, nifedipine products, glucose test strips, surgical gloves, and wound dressing packs.

Kandorozu, however, said the ministry’s update did not reflect conditions at public health facilities and failed to address shortages.

“The minister issued a statement that between 27 April and 15 May, new supplies were delivered to the central medical stores, and she listed some pharmaceutical products, of which the vital needs of the people are not on the list she shared, such as BP medicines, which the nation is crying for now,” he said.

Kandorozu added that the actual delivery is not the list she shared but only 12 tablets, a few syrups, and a few injectables.

“The minister said the stock level is at 60% while the shelves are still empty. A lot of injectables are still not there, the hospitals are running with very little stock, which they are rationalising. They end up borrowing some vital items from private hospitals around, and this should be paid by the government at the end of the day, unfortunately,” Kandorozu said.

He said shortages extended beyond medicines to include critical medical supplies such as colostomy bags, anaesthesia products, and condoms.

“The important daily needs of patients are not met. Some patients need colostomy bags for their number two excretions; nothing in stock, nothing on the list, and this is what people need most at this moment.

“There are no condoms in stock while the country is experiencing high HIV/AIDS infection rates among the active group,” the MP said.

Legal action

Kandorozu also urged members of the public who may have contracted HIV after allegedly being unable to access condoms at state facilities to consider legal action against the government.

He encouraged those who contract HIV to sue the government for forcing them to have unprotected sex due to the lack of condoms.

He further alleged that State doctors are issuing medicine prescriptions to patients with no medical aid to buy pharmaceutical products at private pharmacies.

Kandorozu also claimed shortages of anaesthesia had affected surgical services at state hospitals.

“Are you also aware that all state theatres are closed due to a lack of anaesthesia at the government medical store?" he asked, adding that all operations or theatre cases at government hospitals are referred to private hospitals for the bill to be paid by the taxpayers.

“Mrs President, you must account, and it can’t be business as usual. We need business unusual,” he wrote.

The ministry acknowledged public frustration and said emergency procurement measures were underway to stabilise pharmaceutical supplies.

It said interventions include emergency procurement of out-of-stock medicines, expansion of supplier networks, bulk purchasing arrangements, improved stock monitoring systems, strengthened Central Medical Stores operations and regulatory reforms aimed at speeding up medicine approvals.

“The ministry acknowledges the frustration and impatience felt by the public, and we truly understand that many are unhappy with the current situation,” it said. “We would like to assure the public that we are working diligently to repair the procurement system and build a new, more reliable pharmaceutical supply mechanism from the ground up,” the ministry said.

The ministry said monthly updates would continue as efforts to restore stock levels to at least 80% nationwide progress.