The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Health and Social Welfare held a consultative meeting with the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) to discuss findings during their recent oversight visits.
According to the committee, many pharmacies are challenged with a shortage of pharmaceuticals in various regions, leaving those with chronic illnesses unable to access medicines.
The Chairperson of the committee, Nono Katjingisiua, revealed that during their assessment they determined that there was a shortage of chronic medicines in multiple pharmacies throughout the country.
"Our communities, our members, our people, are crying. If you go all over in the country, it's about medicine and medicine and medicine. Yes, I received a directive from the Honourable Minister, which I also shared with my committee, about how we are now at the 60% stage with the medicine which we have received, but still the 40% so that we can also hear."
Deputy Chairperson of the Standing Committee, Ephraim Nekongo, adds, "As we speak today here, we have long queues and pharmacies in the hospital, normal hospitals and clinics, and our people do not have this medicine."
Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Esperance Luvindao, says that the ministry is strengthening their forecasting efforts and has taken the approach to procure medicines when stock has reached eight months.
"Some stock items from manufacturers, you'll hear manufacturers say, we will provide for one year, but we don't have one year's stock on hand right now. In cases like that, we tell them that they can provide what they have. You see, some manufacturers will supply stock for five months, and then they will provide the rest within the next two months. But the underlying factor is that the orders are going out for one year, and then the minimum stock order is eight months in order to prevent the particular situation that we have found ourselves in."
The minister further stated that there were multiple allegations of corruption last year, which is a contributing factor to the shortage.
She says they have had numerous engagements with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and are currently working on reforming the pharmaceutical system, which will require support from all stakeholders, including the committee.