Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambique spent almost €130 million on medicines and medical supplies in the first five months of the year, with the government saying in parliament in Maputo that there would be sufficient stocks until the end of the year.
“In the first five months of this year, we distributed medicines and medical products worth around 9.4 billion meticais [€129.6 million] for the main diseases in our country, namely diarrhoeal and respiratory diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, tuberculosis and malaria, among others,” said Minister of Health Ussene Isse during the questions-to-government session in the Assembly of the Republic.
The minister once again acknowledged “challenges” in stopping the theft of medicines in the country, but noted that the Ministry of Health had already expelled five employees involved in the diversion of drugs this year alone.
“The country has sufficient stock of essential medicines for the next six months. However, in the meantime, we have registered restrictions on some medicines. As you may recall, the country suffered vandalism of the supply system, and we lost much medicine,” Minister Isse said.
“Some restrictions on medicines for the cardiovascular system, the nervous system and some anaesthetics [exist], but I must say that the stock will be replenished in the coming months of June and July,” he added.
The Mozambican government will introduce an electronic system to control medicines in the national health system to prevent theft and has promised to expel professionals in the sector who are found stealing them, it was announced on 11 May.
“I must publicly guarantee here, regarding the issue of theft of medicines in the health sector, [that] there will be no concessions, zero tolerance. Those who are found stealing medicines and who are employees of the Ministry of Health will not have a place to work in the national health system. Zero tolerance, it is to expel them, there is no possibility of negotiation,” the Minister of Health promised at the time.
“This means that medicines that enter Mozambique from now on will have a seal and this seal, when broken, is connected to an electronic system, which means that digitalization will bring about a revolution in the sector and will help us to control and know where the medicine is being sold or marketed,” the minister explained.
In March, six people, four of whom were health centre employees, were arrested in Beira, in the centre of the country, for allegedly attempting to smuggle medicines to the neighbouring Republic of Zimbabwe.
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