In response to a worsening healthcare crisis and persistent drug shortages, the ministry of health will appoint a task team comprising staff from the Mbabane Government Hospital (MGH) to closely monitor health commodity stock levels and report regularly to the ministry.
According to a report presented by acting Minister of Health Apollo Maphalala, the team will be composed of selected officers from within MGH, which will work with the ministry to ensure consistent communication on stock availability, both at central and peripheral levels.
This initiative comes three weeks after employees at MGH petitioned the ministry, Parliament and members of the ministry of health portfolio committee, expressing concerns over the acute shortages of essential medical equipment, drugs and staff.
“MGH is one of the facilities with the highest consumption of medical commodities, making it a priority starting point. Other health facilities will also be engaged,” said Maphalala,”
He also stated that the ministry’s Procurement Unit would meet with suppliers to obtain firm delivery commitments for outstanding medicines and supplies.
This, he said, would help prevent instances where orders are cancelled unexpectedly, even when the Central Medical Stores (CMS continues to anticipate delivery.
“Suppliers cancelled drug orders worth over E40 million at the end of the last financial year and this contributed to the current shortage in facilities,” he added.
As part of its broader strategy, the acting minister said the ministry would have the head of pharmaceutical services meet with pharmacists and senior medical officers to strengthen inventory management and drug security.
“Weekly reports on stock levels will be required from all facilities,” he said.
He said, additionally, the ministry would roll out an electronic logistics management information system (elmis), which would be integrated with the warehouse and central medical information system (CMIS), to track medication from procurement to consumption. “This will improve visibility of stock levels, monitor consumption rates and help reduce theft and stock-outs,” Maphalala said.
