Africa-Press – Namibia. EXECUTIVE director in the health ministry Ben Nangombe has assured the nation that the ministry of health is committed to ensuring those with health challenges are provided with medicines.
This comes as frustrated patients complained that medicines for the treatment of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure have not been available at health facilities for almost three months.
In a telephonic interview with The Namibian yesterday, Nangombe said this was out of the control of the ministry. He blamed delays on issues related to the clearance of medicines before arrival in the country, as well as Covid-19 which contribute to the logistics complications in Namibia and worldwide.
“The issues have been sorted out and some of the medicines arrived from various countries last week. We are hard at work to try to get the high blood pressure medicine to various health facilities in the country as soon as possible.
“We are still waiting for the other medicine to arrive. We will continue to ensure that public health care services are of the highest quality. We want to save the lives of our people,” he said.
Those who desperately need these medicines were forced to purchase medicine from local pharmacies which has been financially draining. “I have to use about N$200 per month for high blood pressure medicine. It is really a lot. We do not always have money. What about pensioners? said Jacky Hauses.
“It is really frustrating. We have been going to the clinic for so long. They never have medicine. We cannot live without it. It is a health risk. We are not on medical aid. They must really speed up their delivery process,” said Nangula Martin.
The delay of medicines saw some of the elderly at Walvis Bay being forced to knock on the doors of local pharmacies to beg for medicine last week. Fortunately, they were assisted by local pharmacy owners as part of their social responsibility.
Many were shocked that an elderly man from the Kuisebmond Old-Age Home had to be put on a drip last week, after his high sugar levels almost saw him slip into a coma.
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