PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has reaffirmed the government’s commitment of improving drugs, medical reagents and equipment by advancing activities of the Medical Stores Department (MSD).
Mr Majaliwa made the revelation yesterday after witnessing a cooperation agreement deal signed between the MSD and the provincial government of Chungcheongbuk in South Korea.
“We are committed to improve availability of medical experts as well as provision of medicines, medical reagents and equipment through MSD,” further said, the Premier, who is in South Korea for an official visit.
Speaking during the ceremony that was also attended by Governor of Chungcheongbuk Province, Mr Majaliwa said the agreement is a positive move in supply of medical supplies and research.
“This cooperation agreement is very important for us since we need to improve provision of medical supplies to the people,” he emphasised.
Part of the cooperation agreement focuses on discussing and enhancing cooperation in trading and marketing of medical supplies between MSD and pharmaceutical companies in Chungcheongbuk Province.
Another area is exchange of medical experts between Tanzania and South Korea through the province, conducting joint training seminars and sharing information on investment of medicines as well as technical support to MSD.
In his address, he informed the Governor that since the government of Tanzania is committed to improving provision of medical supplies, pharmaceutical companies from South Korea are invited to invest in Tanzania.
On his part, MSD Director General Mr Tukai Mavere, said the agreement will improve their capacity in executing its duties as well as enabling it to acquire expertise in medical supplies.
“Tanzania has long been importing medical supplies from South Korea which is credited for producing high quality medical products and top-notch technology in its pharmaceutical companies.
“MSD is currently under reforms which are aimed at improving technology, improving production and importation of high-quality medical supplies at affordable prices. Tanzania currently imports more than 57 different medical products from South Korea,” he explained.
In another development, the PM visited a pharmaceutical company known as Bio Health which is located in Chungbuk city of the East Asian country.
In March, this year, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, announced a major overhaul of the structure of MSD aimed at improving its services.
The President was speaking after she received reports from the Controller and Auditors General (CAG) for the 2020/2021 fiscal year at State House in Chamwino, Dodoma.
“Just like what we did with Tanesco (Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited), the process should touch on almost every department including the top management to procurement department,” she had then directed.
In the year 2018, MSD signed an agreement to be a major supplier of medicines, medical and laboratory equipment to 16 member states of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC).
With the signing of the contract, MSD was tasked with nine major responsibilities, including receiving orders from 16 SADC countries, administering statistics and information as needed, administering the database, and monitoring the buying process.
The President pointed out that according to reports, the member states of SADC still believe in Tanzania through MSD to supply medicines and medical equipment in the region.
Due to audit queries raised by the CAG, the PM had in May this year ordered all officials implicated in the embezzlement scandal at MSD to be brought to book.
Mr Majaliwa issued the orders when he visited and held talks with the staff and management of MSD, shortly after touring facemasks and medical drugs factories located at department’s headquarters at Keko area in Dar es Salaam.
He said that all the alleged audit queries which were exposed in the CAG report must be dealt with accordingly, revealing that already the Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau (PCCB) had started working on the matter.
