BY JAMES KANDOYA
28th October 2014
The order comes but a day after a survey of public health centers across the country reported a dire shortage short of essential medicines associated with MSD’s reluctance to serve indebted facilities.
Speaking before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Services in yesterday in Dar es Salaam, Minister for Health and Social Welfare Dr Seif Rashid explained that, between July and October this year, the government paid 10.7bn/- of the 100.7bn/- it owed MSD initially.“I order all public health facilities to make sure that 50 per cent of their collected revenue to be submitted to the Medical Store Department,” Dr Rashid ordered and attributed the ongoing lack of essential medicines in public hospitals to the government’s financial constraints.
He also cautioned public hospital’s to refrain from purchase of medicines from private vendors saying essential medicines and medical supplies should only be procured from MSD.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Standing Parliament Committee on Social Services, Margareth Sitta expressed utter dismay over the debt owed to MSD.
“It’s true that MSD fail’s to procure and supply medicines because most of its funds are in government hands,” she admitted.
“Once the debt is settled, the department can efficiently implement its duties,” Sitta said and took the time to caution the government that private vendors are likely to dominate the medicine and medical equipment supply industry.
According to the NGO SIKIKA, which conducted the public hospital survey, some of the most affected to hospital (with amount owed to MSD in brackets) include the Muhimbili National Hospital (8bn/-) and Kiteto District Hospital (38m/-).
Notably, of the approved 500bn/- for the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’ s 2014/15 financial year budget, the government only issued 50bn/- , a mere 10 per cent of the proposed budget.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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