– Nsama District runs out of essential drugs

Nsama District runs out of essential drugs

Nsama, June 16^th, 2014, ZANIS — THE newly created Nsama district in Northern Province has run out of essential drugs in its clinics and Rural Health Centers.

ZANIS  reports that from a survey conducted in the area it has been observed that the last
consignment in the clinics was received on 7th May, 2014, and only lasted for a week.

This has led to a shortage of medicine in Nsama which has prolonged for almost a month now.

Health officials in Nsama, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said all the clinics in the district had run out of essential drugs which included ARVs and Anti-malaria tablets.

Members of the community have appealed to the ministry of Health to send medicine to Nsama.

One of the patients spoken to Ms. Monica Kapembwa said people were even having difficulties in accessing (over the counter) drugs because there were no legal dealers for the same in the district.

She said pregnant women were the most affected and especially at risk due to the shortage.

Ms. Kapembwa said many other lives were at risk due to the high prevalence of malaria in the area.

However , when contacted for comment, Nsama district commissioner Panji Chilingala said that his office would follow up the matter with
medical stores to ensure that the essential drugs were supplied to the affected areas.

The Rural Health Centers affected include Nsama, Kampinga, Mulewe, Chishela and Lufumbu.