Maravi

Shortage of anti-malaria drugs in E/Province worries minister

Shortage of anti-malaria drugs in E/Province worries minister
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Fri 04 June 2010, 04:00 CAT

EASTERN Province minister Isaac Banda has expressed concern over the shortage of anti-malaria drugs in most health centres in the province.

In an interview after the handover of a renovated building at Chiparamba Health Centre and a donation of a CD4-count machine at the health centre by Community Oriented Development Programme (CODEP) on Wednesday, Banda said he had received several reports regarding the shortage of drugs.

“I am really concerned with the drugs shortage because there are always assurances from the Minister of Health that they have anti-malarial drugs in stock and this is why I was asking the provincial health management on why we don’t have these drugs in these clinics,” Banda said.

He said he had proved that many clinics did not have the anti-malaria drugs after touring Chiparamba Rural Health Centre.

“I have received several reports by phone and so forth, but for today, I have seen it on my own that we don’t have the drugs at Chiparamba and the clinical officer in charge has told me that the clinic has had no drugs for the past three months,” Banda said.

He said the drug shortage was a big problem because many people in villages could not manage to buy from drug stores.

Banda urged the provincial health team to ensure that drugs were available in health centres.

Provincial medical representative Elson Simbwalanga assured the minister that the drug shortage would be addressed.

And Banda said CODEP rehabilitated Chiparamba health centre at a cost of K80 million and equipped it with a CD4-count machine.

He said the provision of CD4-count testing machine would enable many people to benefit from the free anti-retroviral programme that the government had put in place.

And CODEP coordinator Joseph Mwale said his organisation and the community decided to work with the government by renovating the health centre and equipped it with the CD4 machine in the spirit of public private partnership.

Mwale commended the Ministry of Health for providing moral support to CODEP.
CODEP also launched the integrated watershed management project that would gobble about K3 billion.

Mwale said the ultimate goal of the project, which is being funded by Gorta of Ireland, was to improve natural resources and the food security base of the people in Chiparamba area.

Labels: EASTERN PROVINCE, MALARIA

posted by MrK @ 5:57 AM