MSD told to supply medicines with not less than 12 months before expiry
TANZANIA: THE Medical Stores Department (MSD) has been urged to deliver medicines to the dispensaries, health centres and hospitals before expiring.
Deputy Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Dr Festo Dugange directed MSD to make sure it supplies medicines with not less than 12 months before expiring date.
Dr Dugange was responding to a question posed by Special Seats MP, Ghati Chomete who wanted to know when the government will start supplying medicines that can stay at health centres for a long time.
She said MSD has been supplying medicines, which are almost expiring, saying such practice is dangerous for citizens’ health.
“Our health centres have been receiving medicines which are almost out of time, I would like to know the government plans on when MSD will start supplying medicines that can stay at our centres for a long time,” she asked.
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She added that some health centres have been serving many people compared to their capacity and asked the government to supply them with more medicines and other required equipment.
She said Mbimba health centre for example serves 73,000 people from three neighbouring wards, but the centre was designed to serve only one ward, which has a total of 14,000 people.
Dr Dugange said the government will consider supplying more medicines to health centres that serve people beyond their capacity.
Dr Dugange added that in 2022/2023 the government released 266.7bn/- for buying medicine and other hospital equipment. He said Mara region received 4.67bn/- for medicines and other equipment in the said period of time.
In 2023/2024 the budget increased to 322.3bn/-.
According to Dr Dugange, Mara Region has already received 2.7bn/-for buying medicines and 5.5bn/-for other medical equipment.
He said there has been an increase in the availability of medicines in the region from 88 percent in 2022/2023 to 90.01 percent in 2023/2024.
