Lira officials deny drug shortage rumours

Nov 13, 2013

THE Aromo Health Center III senior nursing officer, Lilly Epila said she was misquoted by the paper when she responded to a question from a journalist

By Pascal Kwesiga

HEALTH officials in Lira have dismissed recent media reports that the district was facing a shortage of medicine.

They also denied reports that National Medical Stores (NMS) supplied Aromo health center III with more condoms than drugs in August as reported in Saturday Monitor last week. 

The Aromo Health Center III senior nursing officer, Lilly Epila said she was misquoted by the paper when she responded to a question from a journalist who wanted to know if the facility has ever run out of condoms.

“The journalist wanted to know if patients were taking condoms the same way they take drugs. I told him that actually condoms expire in store and that we received another batch in August,” she said, adding “He decided to report that NMS was giving us more condoms than drugs, which is not true.” 

Epila said the facility is supplied with drugs on a monthly basis saying “Even when medicine runs out before the month ends we send an emergency request to the district. I cannot make such allegations against government now because drug distribution and response has greatly improved,” 

She added “The journalists came to the hospital with NGO officials and politicians who keep on bashing us on radios. I think his report was influenced by the politicians,”

Geoffrey Ocen who is in charge of the health center, said the facility doesn’t completely run out of medicine. “When they are delivering the drugs you have requested on a monthly basis, you cannot run out of drugs completely.”

The district assistant medicine supplies officer, Tony Bua said the health facility didn’t have coartem because it had not been included in the procurement plan for health center in August. 

“The news report was misleading, they should have contacted the office of the district health officer,”

Bua explained that for several years the district has not asked for emergency drugs supply from NMS because “We usually get the drugs we request each month,” 

The NMS spokesperson, Dan Kimosho said most of the negative reports about NMS are usually false. 

“What you read in the media is not what is on ground. We have the drugs and we deliver as soon as we can after getting requisitions,” he added.

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