Tanzania health ministry in a huge drug scum

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

Heads will be rolling at the ministry of Health in Tanzania as a probe committee loss of up to Sh26.7 billion (US$ 11.5 million) government money through unscrupulous deals in procurement and distribution of medicines and medical equipment.

The revelations, which were made public in Dar es Salaam yesterday, stem from the findings of a committee which was formed on February 1 this year with the mandate of investigating complaints regarding lack of medicines and medical equipment in government hospitals.

According to a local media outlet, The Citizen, the committee has thus recommended that there be change on the management teams of those involved in the process and that a thorough investigation be conducted to identify those responsible for the losses.

The committee was established with the aim of finding out responses to complains that hospitals were lacking medicine and medical equipment despite the government raising its medicines and medical equipment procurement budget from Sh31 billion to Sh270 billion during the financial year 2015/16.

The committee found out that some equipment did not reach the intended health facilities while some medicines were being bought without approval from the drugs committee and as a result, some end up getting expired.

It also found out that many hospitals lacked statistics on the number of patients who receive treatment under government’s exemption policy.

Revealing the committee findings in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Minister of Health, Social Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dorothy Gwajima said the committee investigated 28 referral hospitals where it found out that there were a lot of negligence, theft and liberate ignorance of procurement laws and regulations.

“We will work on all the issues as highlighted by the committee…we will leave no stone upturned….Our goal is to know how the drugs have been utilized,” she said

The committee has recommended that the Health Permanent Secretary should take disciplinary action against employees responsible for the loss.

The government, the minister said, will also review all the contracts for private suppliers who sell drugs and medical equipment with the goal of taking appropriate measures against those who will be found to be violating regulations.

The efficiency of boards of regional hospitals will also have to be put under the microscope and issue feedback to the Minister within two weeks.