Africa-Press – Namibia. Rudolf Gaiseb
The health ministry has uncovered shortages at certain health facilities in the country because of fraud within the ministry’s pharmaceutical supply chain.
The ministry last week informed the public that certain staff members, particularly at the Central Medical Stores, may be complicit in fraudulent activities.
These activities allegedly include the manipulation of stock data and theft and diversion of pharmaceutical supplies within the national supply chain.
Executive director Penda Ithindi said the diversion of these life-saving resources severely undermine the ministry’s ability to provide adequate healthcare services.
He further alleged that these actions have resulted in the deliberate creation of artificial shortages, seemingly intended to generate public panic and trigger emergency procurement processes.
“The ministry treats these allegations with the utmost seriousness and has consequently launched a comprehensive internal investigation. With immediate effect, the staff members implicated have been formally reassigned away from the specific Central Medical Stores functions, pending the outcome of the investigation,” he stated.
The ministry is now working closely with law enforcement and other relevant authorities to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation.
“Should the investigation conclude that the implicated individuals are guilty of these fraudulent activities, appropriate disciplinary and criminal proceedings will be instituted, and those responsible will be charged to the full extent of the law,” Ithindi stated.
Prior, independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian Lilani Brinkmann last Tuesday probed the health ministry concerning shortages of anaesthetics, particularly at the Onandjokwe Hospital in Northern Namibia.
“There are reports currently in circulation indicating a critical shortage of essential anaesthetic agents at Onandjokwe Hospital, as well as supply constraints at the Central Medical Stores,” Brinkmann said, citing a leaked document.
Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda also raised similar concerns.
The two noted reports that, as the result of these shortages, all elective surgical procedures were suspended with immediate effect until further notice. This raises serious concerns about the continuity of care, patient safety and the operational stability of public health facilities.
Brinkmann further questioned the ministry about the unavailability of critical anaesthetic agents at Onandjokwe State Hospital and stock shortages at the Central Medical Stores.
“What are the underlying causes of these stockouts, particularly at the Central Medical Stores, which serves as the primary distribution hub for pharmaceuticals?” she added.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
