By Eljah Ugani: Health Correspondent
The Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA) says it has put the necessary logistics in place to ensure there is a lasting solution to the issue of drug shortage in Primary Health Centers (PHC) across the 18 local government areas of the state.
The Director General of the Agency, Dr. Betta Edu disclosed this recently during the second quarter State Essential Medicine and Coordinating Mechanism (SEMCM) meeting held in Calabar where she called in the health ministry to release to the agency, drugs in their stores.
“We have realized (that) most PHCs in the state have no drugs, as result, a new drugs revolvement strategy has been put in place to deal with the issue of drugs shortage in PHCs” Betta said, adding that “We made available ORS plus Zinc Solution for the treatment of diarrhoea and other lifesaving drugs across the state. The issue of shortage of drugs in PHCs will soon be an issue of the past”.
Speaking further, she expressed dissatisfaction with response she got from the Ministry of Health when asked for drugs for distribution, she however called on the Ministry to release the drugs in the store to be distributed to health centers to prevent the drugs from getting expired.
On his part, Dr. Eyo Nsa of the Ministry of Health affirmed the availability of drugs in the store and promised to do everything humanly possible to ensure the release of the drugs for onward distribution.
The State Coordinator, FHI 360, Dr. Henry Ayuk in his remarks thanked the Director General for calling the meeting.
Dr. Ayuk posited that, “This is the very first time we are having such an elaborate and well structured meeting.
“For us as partners, we have no capacity to release funds for essential drugs, if the state government can liaise with our head office, the better for us”.
Amongst partners present at the meeting were the World Health Organisation, FHI 360, EU-SIGN, Chemonics, UNICEF, Society for Family Health and many others.