Breakdown in the supply chain is one of the contributing factors to the delay in hospitals receiving medical supplies.
Health and HIV/AIDS Minister, Sir Puka Temu, made the comment on Friday in parliament.
Ijivitari MP Richard Masare brought the issue up, stating that medical supply was not the issue.
“We do have enough in the health stores but there is a break down in the supply process.
“One of the issues identified is that they want to send the medicines but there is no logistical support,” said Masare.
Sir Puka relayed that the government had allocated K100 million in the recent supplementary budget and medical supplies have already been dispatched to the respective medicine storage areas.
He said there are two ways to address the issue; one is for MPs to assist CEOs and health managers with funds to pick up the medical supplies. The second option is for private logistic companies to deliver the supplies.
“The private companies have been awarded contracts. The government released K15 million.
“The issue of shortage is now beginning to be addressed. In the supplementary budget the government has approved K100 million for medical supplies and that’s in recognition of the great need in the systems of health to ensure that when our citizens are sick, clinical items and medicines are available at all times,” said Sir Puka.
He stated that his department will have a six-month buffer to purchase medical supplies, ensuring supplies are spread out all the time.
“Under the support of the Australian government, we have an IT system in place so when a facility is running out of an item, that system can now detect where in the country an item is more in supply, so then we can manage the logistics accordingly,” revealed Sir Puka.