The Ministry of Health and Social Services has blamed the anaesthetic pharmaceutical shortage at a Rundu hospital on weak coordination.
The ministry blames it on weak active monitoring between the different functional units in the region and central medical store.
This has resulted in the untimely distribution and delivery of orders.
The ministry has, however, clarified that hospitals across the country have enough stock of anaesthetic pharmaceuticals.
This clarification follows an article published in The Namibian on 30 April casting concerns on the shortages of supply in intermediate hospitals across the country.
The article sheds the spotlight on Windhoek Central Hospital, Rundu Intermediate Hospital and Keetmanshoop.
The ministry has refuted this, saying the report is inaccurate as such information has not been verified, despite questions having been sent to the ministry for verification.
“The ministry wishes to assure the public that there is adequate essential anaesthetic pharmaceuticals nationally. Adequate levels of this essential anaesthetic pharmaceutical stock has been confirmed, particularly at Windhoek Central Hospital, Katutura Intermediate Hospital and Keetmanshoop District Hospital,” reads a statement issued by the ministry on Thursday.
The ministry has put in place a pharmaceutical procurement strategy for timely procurement through digital monitoring mechanism between central medical stores and regional health facilities.
The ministry has cautioned the media against unverified information.
According to information shared by the ministry, anaesthetic pharmaceuticals currently in stock is more than enough one to 47 months, except for zero stock of the Alfentanil injection –normally given with other medicines to relieve pain during surgery – but it is being addressed.
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