The National Department of Health is now implementing long-term measures to ensure the availability of essential medicines and medical consumables.
Minister for Health, Dr Lino Tom said this is part of a 100-day plan upon taking office, which highlighted key performance indicators including ICT reforms, increasing the numbers of medical workers and improving the medicine supply system.
In the short term;
- The country has more than six months of supply of 97 percent of priority antibiotics and they are readily available in our five Area Medical Stores.
- In the past two months, the NDOH has committed over K6 million worth of orders for medicines at Port Moresby General Hospital.
- Angau Memorial Hospital has received over K2.9 million in committed orders in the last six weeks.
Minister Tom added that they also focus on improving the medicine supply to other major hospitals in Mt. Hagen, Goroka and Nonga.
In 2023, the health sector has had to work through a funding gap of K149.9 million. This has impacted the ability to provide adequate services.
- The NDOH has increased the Annual Procurement Cycle threshold to allow purchase orders promptly and fill any gaps in the supply chain. The NDOH is working on a funding submission to be considered in October.
- There are ongoing reforms within the medicine procurement system and they are expanding the reform operational activities to include Mt Hagen and Nonga Hospitals.
- Careful planning and coordination to ensure a seamless supply chain
- Assisting PHAs to establish Medicines and Therapeutic Committees (MTC) to manage the quantification of right demands of supplies
Meantime, provincial health authorities have been encouraged to use the existing M-supply pharmaceutical management system to ease the problems faced within the health supply chain.