Muchima Clarifies Statement on Prescriptions
By White Luhanga
Health Minister ELIJAH MUCHIMA says patients should not be asked to purchase medicines externally that are adequately stocked in Government hospitals.
The minister says he is concerned that despite hospital stores being adequately stocked, patients are frequently instructed to purchase medicines from external sources.
Dr MUCHIMA said in a statement that the practice is unacceptable, especially when the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency -ZAMMSA- has already supplied the necessary commodities.
And the Minister has clarified that his statement concerning the use of prescriptions in government hospitals was taken out of context.
The Minister said his statement did NOT advocate for a complete ban on the issuance of prescriptions in public health facilities.
Dr MUCHIMA said no hospital, anywhere in the world, can maintain a full stock of all required medicines at all times and that his primary focus of his remarks was to draw attention to the gap between the essential medicines delivered by ZAMMSA and what is actually being dispensed to patients.
He said to further enhance healthcare delivery, the government has allocated five billion Kwacha for the procurement of medicines and medical supplies.
Dr MUCHIMA said in a statement that as ZAMMSA increases its distribution efforts across the country, the need for prescriptions requiring external purchases should naturally decrease, and prescriptions for medicines to be purchased outside government hospitals must receive approval from a competent authority.
