Africa-Press – Malawi. Fuel shortage has affected the distribution of drugs from Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) to public hospitals, The Daily Times has learnt.
We have learnt that most of the vehicles that were assigned are grounded, contributing to the shortage of essential drugs in some public facilities.
We have further found that health centres located in hard-to-reach areas are the most affected.
CMST Public Relations Officer Herbert Chandilanga said the trust had engaged Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) officials to provide them with adequate fuel for distribution of medicines.
Chandilanga said the trust was hopeful that it would be assisted for smooth distribution of medicines across the country.
“The Central Medical Stores Trust already engaged Mera for assistance in accessing adequate quantities of fuel for distribution of medicine and alternative power supply for storage facilities. Like in past situations that necessitated such a request, we are confident we will get Mera’s assistance,” Chandilanga said.
Commenting on the issue, Medical Doctors Union of Malawi (MDUM) has asked the government to find permanent ways of addressing the problem.
The union’s spokesperson Steven Mlangiza said some doctors were not prescribing the most needed drugs to patients because most facilities had run out of stock.
“We have noticed that very few patients have been coming to the hospitals since the fuel problem started. We have an example at Kamuzu Central Hospital, [especially] at the maternity; we are not receiving the numbers which we normally receive. We have fears that it is possible that some [women] are not coming, which means we may lose women or babies out there unknowingly,” Mlangiza said.
Meanwhile, Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) has announced that it has reduced operating hours of its diesel power plants at Likoma and Chizumulu Islands due to the same fuel issue.
Egenco uses diesel power plants to supplement its solar power system to supply electricity to the island district.
The company requires a minimum of 10,000 litres of diesel every two weeks for normal operations in Likoma but due to fuel shortages, the company has only managed to secure 4,000 litres.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Egenco said reduced operating hours would persist until normal fuel supply resumes.
Following this arrangement, it said residents of Likoma Island would not have power supply for six hours every day from midnight to morning while people at Chizumulu Island will not have power supply for nine hours, 30 minutes every day from 12:30 pm to 02:00 pm and also from 10:00pm to 06:00 am.
“In order to manage its fuel reserves, Egenco has reduced the operating hours of its diesel power plants at Likoma and Chizumulu Islands. This arrangement will persist until normal fuel supply resumes,” the statement reads.
Anita Chiunda, a fresh fish monger from Likoma Island, said intermittent power supply has a bearing on her business because she relies on fridges to preserve her fish.
KACHAJEEgenco operates four hydro power stations namely Nkula, Tedzani, Kapichira and Wovwe.
Overall, Egenco has a total installed generation capacity of 441.95 megawatts (mw) with 390.55mw from hydro power plants and 51.4mw from thermal power plants.
Speaking recently, Mera Chief Executive Officer Henry Kachaje could not specify when the fuel supply situation could normalise.
He was quick to assure the nation that they were doing everything possible to ensure that the situation normalised.
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