Gulu health centres lack malaria drugs
Sep 09, 2010
HEALTH centres in Gulu district are stranded with malaria patients after the district last week run short of Coartem tablets, a first-line treatment for Malaria.
By Gilian Lamunu
HEALTH centres in Gulu district are stranded with malaria patients after the district last week run short of Coartem tablets, a first-line treatment for Malaria.
When New Vision visited Bar-dege health centre in Gulu municipality, a nurse was telling patients that the health centre had run short of coartem for adults, and would, therefore, only treat children.
Lucy Aciro, 28, a resident of Laliya trading centre, said she had tested positive for malaria but was disappointed to learn that there were no drugs.
“Now that I have failed to get drugs, I have to walk back home to save some of the money that I would have spent on transport to buy drugs,†Aciro said.
Rose Atim, 32, who had taken her seven-year-old son for treatment at Layibi Techo health centre III, said since there was no coartem in the health centre, she would buy it from a clinic, in town.
At Aywee health centre, a health worker, who preferred anonymity, said the health centre run out of coartem last week and was treating malaria patients with fancida. “We are asking those who want coartem to buy it from drug shops,†she said.
A health worker at Layibi Techo health centre III said they had run short of all drugs and patients were using the last tin of Fancida, some of which had been given to the antenatal department.
“We have to wait for the drugs to be delivered under the new system. That is one of the reasons for the constant drug shortage,†the health worker said.
HEALTH centres in Gulu district are stranded with malaria patients after the district last week run short of Coartem tablets, a first-line treatment for Malaria.
When New Vision visited Bar-dege health centre in Gulu municipality, a nurse was telling patients that the health centre had run short of coartem for adults, and would, therefore, only treat children.
Lucy Aciro, 28, a resident of Laliya trading centre, said she had tested positive for malaria but was disappointed to learn that there were no drugs.
“Now that I have failed to get drugs, I have to walk back home to save some of the money that I would have spent on transport to buy drugs,†Aciro said.
Rose Atim, 32, who had taken her seven-year-old son for treatment at Layibi Techo health centre III, said since there was no coartem in the health centre, she would buy it from a clinic, in town.
At Aywee health centre, a health worker, who preferred anonymity, said the health centre run out of coartem last week and was treating malaria patients with fancida. “We are asking those who want coartem to buy it from drug shops,†she said.
A health worker at Layibi Techo health centre III said they had run short of all drugs and patients were using the last tin of Fancida, some of which had been given to the antenatal department.
“We have to wait for the drugs to be delivered under the new system. That is one of the reasons for the constant drug shortage,†the health worker said.