PROCUREMENT ADJUSTMENT CAUSES DRUG SHORTAGE
By JULIET MAKWAMA
THE Ministry of Health has admitted that selected health facilities in Lusaka have been hit with a shortage of essential drugs emanating from administrative changes embarked on after the change of government.
Some selected health facilities in Lusaka have been hit by a shortage of essential medicines, in some cases those for Covid-19.
Ministry of Health, Permanent Secretary – Administration, George Magwende, said yesterday the situation has been caused by measures initiated to correct the procurement processes embarked on by former office bearers.
Dr Magwende said the situation is expected to normalise this month as procurement has already been done and medicines have started flowing.
Dr Magwende has explained that unforeseen delays in procurement process have caused the current situation, as some security agencies had to be scrutinised to correct the system so that erring officers can be made answerable.
And Health Minister Sylvia Masebo said a Covid-19 resurgence plan to consolidate the national response to the pandemic has been developed and is expected to be released by Cabinet soon.
Speaking during the Covid-19 update yesterday, Ms. Masebo said the response will be done in a multi-sectorial approach, urging partners to align their support to fighting Covid-19 collectively.
She also said the ministry has detected Omicron in 88 additional samples all collected from Lusaka district, bringing the total to 197.
She said more samples will be analysed and results on variants will be shared when they are available.
And Ms. Masebo said 1, 544 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded out of 5754 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.
She said 85 percent of people getting infected are unvaccinated and has urged people to get vaccinated.
Ten deaths have also been recorded in the last 24 hours.
