MOH develops plan to ensure effective medicine, logistics distribution
The Ministry of Health has developed a five-year Supply Chain Master Plan to address the current systemic defects in the supply of medicines and logistics in the country's health sector.
It will also ensure that the country develops a robust supply chain strategy that will be responsive to health challenges. This comes in the wake of the recent fire tragedy that hit the Central Medical Stores in Tema.
The sector minister, Mr Alexander Segbefia, who stated this at the annual conference and scientific seminar of senior pharmacy managers in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, last Wednesday, therefore, called for the support of pharmacists in the implementation of the plan.
According to the minister, the plan formed part of the aims and objectives of the ministry to transform the current non-performing supply system to one that could guarantee ready access to good quality and affordable health commodities in the country.
"I am here to engage you, since I am reliably informed of your reservations towards the implementation of the plan. I am here to assure you that together, we would work on this in a very transparent manner so that we can together leave a legacy for this nation in the area of supply chain integrity," Mr Segbefia stated.
The two-day conference which was on the theme, "Ensuring the supply chain integrity in universal coverage." was attended by senior pharmacy managers from health facilities across the country.
Removal of VAT
Mr Sebgefia also disclosed that the government would remove the Valued Added Tax (VAT) on key medicines as a measure to support local production and also improve access to medicines.
Consequently, the VAT Amendment Act 890 has been approved and the legislative instrument is awaiting parliamentary approval.
Mr Segbefia indicated that the decision to amend the Act was based on a communique issued at last year's meeting of the pharmacists where they called on the government to remove the VAT on key medicines.
Efficient distribution
Mr Segbefia said as part of measures to reduce waste and also ensure some level of efficiency in the system, his outfit had tasked the Director of Pharmaceutical Services to monitor and guarantee the smooth distribution of injection pethidine, anti-snake serum, injection oxytocin and injection ergometrine in the country.
"I am hopeful that the necessary controls and systems are put in place to ensure the use of these products to only those who require them," he stated.
Collaboration
The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr Ebenezer Appiah Denkyira, for his part, called for collaboration among the various categories of health professionals to help achieve universal health coverage in the country where the vulnerable in society had equal access to good quality health care and medicines.
The Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Mrs Martha Gyansa- Lutterodt, commended the health ministry for its swift response to the fire disaster at the Central Medical Stores.
According to her, the work of the crisis committee and the redistribution mechanisms put in place by the ministry in the aftermath of the disaster prevented the grounding of public health activities.
An official from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Mrs Edith Annan, said Ghana was hinging closely to the attainment of universal health coverage and called for an effective supply chain to enable the country to achieve the universal health coverage by ensuring the expansion of good quality health care for all, especially the vulnerable in society.