In a resolute move, the Parliamentary Committee on Health has announced its decision to summon the National Medical Stores (NMS) regarding the ongoing crisis of drug stockouts plaguing government health centers.
The Committee’s call to action comes in response to impassioned pleas from leaders in Luwero and Mpigi districts, who have raised alarm bells over the NMS’s failure to adhere to scheduled supply deliveries.
During a recent oversight tour on Tuesday, Dr. Innocent Nkonwa, the Luwero District Health Officer, addressed Members of Parliament, revealing a disconcerting pattern of irregularities.
Nkonwa disclosed that, in the financial year 2022/23, NMS managed to supply essential drugs for only four out of six designated cycles. Shockingly, since the commencement of the financial year 2023/24, not a single drug has reached health centers, leaving them teetering on the brink of stockouts.
The brunt of this crisis has been felt most acutely at Luwero Hospital, where a staggering 173 million Shillings’ worth of vital drugs remain undelivered. Health Center IIIs in the area have similarly suffered, with an inventory shortfall of drugs valued at 161 million Shillings over the past fiscal year.
This perilous shortfall has created a breeding ground for unscrupulous practices, as medical personnel find themselves compelled to resort to selling their own provisions to patients within government facilities.
Adding her voice to the chorus of concern, Mariam Kaberuka, the Luwero Deputy Resident District Commissioner, underscored that the NMS not only falters in timely deliveries but also dispatches non-essential drugs.
This grievous misstep has eroded trust among residents in government health centers, further exacerbating the crisis.
Brenda Nabukenya, the Luwero District Woman Member of Parliament, minced no words in her critique of the NMS’s performance. She urged the committee to scrutinize the agency’s effectiveness before any further financial allocation.
Dr. Charles Ayume, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, echoed the distressing sentiment emanating from Luwero and Mpigi.
He articulated that the outcry over NMS’s failure to supply drugs resonates nationwide. Consequently, the committee has resolved to summon the National Medical Stores to account for its inability to fulfill its vital mandate, despite being allocated funds for procurement.
The repercussions of this ongoing crisis are dire. In the financial year 2022/23, a staggering 440 lives were lost within health centers due to various diseases. Tragically, some of these fatalities were directly attributed to the dearth of essential drugs.
In a recent press statement, Sheila Nduhukire, the Principal Public Relations Officer of the National Medical Stores, pointed to the delays in medical supplies as a consequence of tardy fund disbursements from the Ministry of Finance.
This explanation, however, may provide little solace to the communities grappling with the ramifications of this dire situation. As MPs summon NMS to the committee, the nation holds its breath, yearning for a resolution to this pressing healthcare crisis.
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