By Lumpe Media
RUBANDA — Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi has demanded answers from health workers over the persistent shortage of essential medicines in government health facilities, warning that public funds allocated to the health sector must translate into tangible services for patients.
Dr Baryomunsi said it was unacceptable for patients to continue reporting empty drug shelves at public health centres at a time when government has consistently increased funding for the health sector.
The minister made the remarks during the fourth Annual Kigezi Regional Joint Review Mission held in Rubanda District, where health officials and other stakeholders gathered to assess service delivery and identify challenges affecting healthcare in the region.
Baryomunsi questioned why medicines procured using taxpayers’ money were still failing to reach the intended beneficiaries.
“Health workers should explain the cause of the continued shortage of medicines. Whenever the Ministry of Health asks members of the public about services in government health facilities, many complain that medicines are not available,” he said.
The minister also raised concerns over allegations that some health workers divert government medicines and sell them to patients through private clinics and other channels.
He said the Ministry of Health would investigate the claims and establish whether the shortages were caused by supply challenges, poor management or deliberate diversion of medicines.
“We are going to investigate what could be the problem because government invests a lot of money in securing drugs,” Baryomunsi said.
His concerns were echoed by Dr Medard Bitekyerezo, the Chairperson of the National Drug Authority (NDA) Board, who said investigations had uncovered cases in which individuals allegedly collude with health workers to access government medicines for personal gain.
Dr Bitekyerezo said some people reportedly claim to have sick relatives in order to obtain medicines from public facilities, only to divert and sell them elsewhere.
He further alleged that government medicines had in some cases been found in the homes of health workers, raising questions about accountability and supervision within health facilities.
“I want to call on the Ministry of Health to examine the conduct and commitment of health workers to ensure that medicines and other health services reach the intended patients,” Bitekyerezo said.
The allegations have renewed concerns about the availability of essential medicines, particularly at lower-level health facilities where many Ugandans depend on government services for affordable treatment.
The shortage of medicines can force patients to purchase drugs from private pharmacies, increasing the financial burden on families and undermining the purpose of government investment in public healthcare.
The Kigezi Regional Joint Review Mission is bringing together District Health Officers, health facility in-charges, Health Unit Management Committee chairpersons, political and technical leaders, development partners, religious and cultural leaders, health workers and other stakeholders.
The two-day meeting is reviewing key areas of healthcare delivery, including immunisation, maternal and child health, HIV and tuberculosis services, disease surveillance, medicine availability and access to quality healthcare.
Baryomunsi’s intervention is expected to put renewed pressure on health facility managers and workers to account for medicines supplied by government and strengthen systems for tracking drugs from the point of procurement to the patient.
Stakeholders are expected to use the review meeting to identify gaps in service delivery and agree on measures to improve healthcare outcomes across the Kigezi sub-region.
