Medical supplies shortage blamed on 52bn/- debt owed to government

Rosweeter Kasikila (Special Seats, CCM)

 By Dickson Ng`hily

Legislators yesterday weighed the out of stock situation facing the Medical Store Department (MSD) on the 52bn/- debt the department owes the government.

They said the unpaid money is what leaves the department often run short of drugs thus subjecting several public health facilities to experience severe shortage.

Contributing to the 2013/14 budget for the ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Rosweeter Kasikila (Special Seats, CCM) said the frequent shortage of drugs facing public health facilities in the country is highly caused by the debt MSD owes the government.

“The government should feel obliged to pay this debt to pave the way for the department to operate smoothly … no wonder we have a shortage of medicines in our hospitals, how do we expect the facilities to operate,” Kasikila said.

Hassan Ngwilizi (Mlalo, CCM) adding weight to Kasikila’s position said the unpaid debt is one of the major setbacks in the ministry, urging the government to promptly pay it before the end of this year.

On the other hand, Ngwilizi also said the slow pace of cash flow in the ministry is holding back the health sector.

“In March 2013 only 325bn/- which is 55 percent of the budget was disbursed to the ministry, and yet lawmakers still complain of inefficiency in the ministry … we should make sure that the rest of the money is issued before the end of this fiscal year,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel Wenje (Mwanza Urban, Chadema) urged the government to subsidise the costs of CT scan X-Rays for patients, which currently ranges between 250,000/- and 300,000/-.

He said the amount is too unrealistic for the ordinary citizen.

On the contrary Margaret Sitta (Special Seats, CCM) argued that the government can subsidise such medical costs for the people by getting more to join the national health insurance.

During the debate in which lawmakers were airing their views on the performance of the heath sector and how to improve it, Wenje advised the government to retain graduate doctors who received government’s sponsorship by inking agreements with them.
In so doing, the students should be exempted from paying students’ loans as long as they worked in public hospitals for a given period, he said.

The government ought to pay its debt to the Medical Store Department (MSD) totalling 52bn/- thus enable the department to perform its duties accordingly, he said.



When presenting views of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Services on behalf of his chairperson, Ali Haji said: “the availability of drugs and medical equipment is being affected by nonpayment of the debt.”

He added: “People are complaining as hospitals, health centres and dispensaries don’t have drugs and medical devices …. the committee urges the government to pay its debts, which by March have reached 52bn/-, thus help the department to efficiently serve the people.”

According to Haji, since about 80 per cent of drugs and medical equipment distributed by MSD are imported, the committee advised the government to review the policy on local manufacturers to enable them to produce the drugs locally.

The opposition camp for its part warned that the government should revisit its priorities with a view of repositioning the health sector accordingly.

Shadow minister for health and social welfare Dr Mbassa said: “The government should pay its debt … there are some unfaithful businesses sellfor over exporting them, yet nothing has been done to them.”

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN