Medical supplies dry over huge debt

Sikika executive director Irenei Kiria addresses the media in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Alarm was raised yesterday over a looming crisis in the health sector, for the supply of medicine to public hospitals could dry up due to mounting government debts.

It has emerged that the Medical Stores Department (MSD) has stopped further supplies of essential medicine to government-run health facilities until Sh90 billion owed to the agency by the institutions is paid.

Sikika, a local NGO that works to promote quality health services revealed yesterday that the huge amount owed to MSD has made it untenable for the agency to procure medicine for dispensaries, health centres and other medical facilities across the country.       

“The government has to release the funds on time to public hospitals so that they can pay the MSD. Those affected are poor citizens who can’t afford the cost charged at private hospitals,” said Mr Irenei Kiria, the Sikika executive director.

He said Sikika has official information from MSD that supplies would only be ascertained by release of funds for drugs and other medical supplies.

“What is happening has serious repercussions if not handled carefully. MSD insiders have told us that medicine is available but the agency is enforcing the requirement for payment to avoid a situation where they have nothing left in their coffers,” said Mr Kiria. 

He said the consequence has already been felt, with last week’s media reports that a cancer patient at the Ocean Road clinic had died due to lack of life sustaining drugs. 

According to figures availed by Sikika, the largest referral hospital in the country, Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), with a Sh8 billion debt, is one of those affected by MSD’s poor situation. The Ocean Road Cancer Institute apparently owes the MSD Sh38 million.

He said though regrettable, MSD needs money to pay for procurement, storage and distribution of the medicines and staff salaries.

“The government has been promising to clear the debt in their budgets but it has not and the arrears shot from Sh50 billion in 2012 to the current Sh90 billion,” he said.

By  Athuman Mtulya