Postpone Parliament, buy medicines - MP

BY FELIX ANDREW

5th November 2014

  Public hospitals in dire straits

Luhaga Mpina

A Member of Parliament has made an impassioned appeal for the rescheduling of the three-week ordinary meeting of the National Assembly, which opened here yesterday, recommending that the funds allocated to it be spent on buying medicines for public hospitals.

 

The legislator is Luhaga Mpina (Kisesa – CCM) made the call in the House, saying the government had failed to pay an outstanding debt totalling 90 billion/- to its own Medical Stores Department (MSD).

 

He said this had forced the department to stop supplying medicines to state-run hospitals, “so the government should not spend money on the ongoing Parliamentary sessions but had better save the lives of Tanzanians in need of urgent medical care”.

Speaking during the question-and-answer session, Mpina said many hospitals and dispensaries in the country are grappling with an acute shortage of medicines and medical supplies and immediate action must be taken to rectify the situation.

 

“People are dying, all hospitals such as Muhimbili National Hospital as well as regional, district and health centres do not have medicines,” he said, adding: “I therefore strongly recommend that we postpone this meeting and the money meant for the purpose be spent on the procurement of medicines that will save lives.”

 

“Most of the public health facilities are facing a shortage of essential medicines and medical supplies following the decision by MSD to suspend the supply pending payments of long-outstanding bills,” the legislator noted.

 

He said the low budget for essential medicines and supplies, incomplete and delayed disbursements and poor management of other sources of incomes had contributed to the debt, which is now crippling the system.

 

“We are told that last year MSD received only 7bn/- out of a whopping 44bn/-. Just where did the remaining money go? The government should explain this,” he added, as sources suggested that National Assembly sessions cost the nation an estimated 107.1m/- per day just in allowances paid to the 357 MPs.

 

Special Seats legislator Martha Mlata (CCM) also wanted the government to make close follow-up on the MSD debt and to state categorically when it will be repaid.

 

Responding, Finance deputy minister Mwigulu Nchemba said (Finance) ministry officials will meet today for the purpose of allocating funds money to various government departments, including MSD.

 

“We will provide money to MSD. My appeal to them is to make sure that the drugs and medical equipment reach the intended beneficiaries on time,” he said, without specifying the amount of money that MSD can expect.

 

Speaking before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Services in Dar es Salaam last week, Health and Social Welfare minister 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, SIKIKA Executive Director, Irinea Kiria  they had conducted a survey at various hospitals in the country whereas it was revealed that public owned hospitals lack essential medicines, a serious situation for the uninsured population.

 

 He mentioned some of the public health facilities which have huge MSD debts and experience a shortage of medicines as the Muhimbili National Hospital (8bn/-), Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Kiteto District Hospital (38m/-) and Mpwapwa District Hospital.

 

 He however said the government should be blamed for failure to allocate the qualified budget of 500bn/- as approved in the 2014/15 financial year. He said of the required budget, it issued 50bn/- to the ministry of Health and Social Welfare which is only 10 percent of the proposed budget.

 

 “Problems caused by the shortages of medicines are serious, threatening patients’ lives in hospitals and require urgent action…it affects the wellbeing of individuals and the whole health care system of the country,” he said.

 

 He said the shortage does not only affect the users of the service but it also de- motivates health care providers. He said the situation gravely affects the functionality of MSD.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN