Human medicine in a pharmacy/courtesy photoBy Hou Akot Hou
Health officials in Twic County of Warrap have called on the government, organizations, and well-wishers to restock health facilities in order to save lives.
The call followed a serious shortage at some of the health facilities in the county.
Mabith Ater, a medical director of Mother Teresa Hospital in Twic County, called for restocking of the health facility as shortages threatened people’s lives.
He added that the drug shortage forced people to seek treatment from pharmacists, which jeopardizes the condition of the patients despite being expensive.
As said at their facility, Mother Teresa, they approximately admit 300 patients each week but end up without treating them, as they lack drugs such as anti-malaria, antibiotics, anti-convulsant, painkillers, and others.
He said malaria and pneumonia cases are surging a lot, adding that they received a consignment of drugs in April.
“We received the last consignment in April, and up to now we have not gotten anything. What we do is that we refer them to the pharmacists, as we are incapacitated to treat the patients. It has been about four months now, and we don’t have anti-malaria and pneumonia. The cases of malaria and emergency cases are on the rise,” he said.
He blamed the shortage of drugs on the influx of both returnees and refugees from Sudan, as the population is overstretched and does use the drugs. He lamented.
In response, the Twic county health director, James Garang Chuor, acknowledges the shortage of drugs and urges the health facility directors in the county to be resilient and show perseverance as they are battling the lack of drugs.
“We wait for consignment from partners such as UNICEF, and that consignment has not come yet. This is a general concern. And we are going to engage the partners to help us in this critical shortage of drugs,” said Garang.
He said he is looking at the option of exchanging drugs among the health centers in these critical periods.