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PAHO report on Guyana finds…Inadequate management and distribution causes “artificial” shortages in health sector
Inadequate logistic management and distribution of commodities in the public health sector is the cause of “artificial” shortage of these products, a Pan American Health Organization report disclosed.
The report, Health @50 in Guyana: Progress Health Report 1966-2016, revealed that from the early 1970s, there has been difficulties in the acquisition of adequate health commodities, which included medicines. The issue persisted until the 1990s, when through an IDB grant, an essential medicines list was developed and drugs and medical supplies were acquired through the International Dispensary Association (IDA). This made certain that essential medicines were procured at favourable prices.
However, the report indicated that challenges still remain with the management and distribution of these products to the periphery, which results in artificial shortages.
Earlier this year, a drug shortage was reported within the public health sector, which saw officials from the Georgetown Public Hospital and the Ministry going before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and reporting the stock out.
It was reported that 186 drugs were completely out of stock or in short supply. Meanwhile, in 2014 the previous administration was forced to dump over $80 million worth in expired drugs while in 2015, the new government sent back $600 million in pharmaceutical drugs from the regions to the central government.
The report added that although a decentralized healthcare system was established in Guyana with the aim of reducing imbalance in the distribution and accessibility of services, the issue remained. This, the report noted, was due to human resource shortages and the inefficient distribution of health commodities.
It explained that since citizens were failing to access these services, after a while they would bypass the facilities at the community level and proceed to the more central level. But, this only resulted in a strain on the central levels, causing overcrowding and long waiting time.
Public Health Minister George Norton acknowledged the report, stating that the ministry is tackling the issue at a regional level, by allowing the regions to send out their requests instead of the ministry allotting without consultation. He stated that distribution of these commodities, especially medicines had in fact caused millions of drugs to be dumped.
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