Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 26, 2014 News
A failed attempt has been made by Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, to cast a smokescreen over the real drugs issues plaguing the health sector. This deduction was yesterday made by A Partnership for Unity (APNU) Shadow Minister of Health, Dr. George Norton, as he offered his convictions on recent disclosures made by Dr. Ramsaran.
Ramsaran said recently that health workers caught pilfering drugs will be locked-up.
The Minister recently expressed his view that clandestine activities, among others, have been linked to the shortage of drugs that has been facing the health sector in recent times.
But according to Dr. Norton, “Even if health workers were pilfering, that can never cause a major drugs shortage.”
He is convinced that the Health Minister is on a mission to create a facade to direct focus away from the real issue. And the real issue, according to Dr. Norton, is that of drugs procurement.
According to him, in addressing the drug shortage situation the Minister should have been highlighting the need for a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to be conducted to ascertain the true cause of the prevailing challenge.
This is particularly important in light of the fact that a legitimate auditing process had found that an individual tasked with procuring drugs at the health sector’s main tertiary institution, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, was delinquent in ensuring that the right quantities were supplied and at the right time.
It is alleged that the person in charge of procurement was not utilising the relevant support staffers required to undertake the procurement process. “This was not the findings of the opposition, this was not my findings…these things were detected by an official audit,” said Dr. Norton who also holds the position of Head of Ophthalmology at the GPHC.
But of even greater concern, Dr. Norton said, is that of the pre-qualification provision which permits Government to procure drugs from a particular buyer rather than others who are known to sell identical products at a much cheaper rate.
According to Dr. Norton many private medical practitioners are known to take advantage of the cheaper prices at other pharmaceutical providers such as the International Pharmaceutical Agency and even the Mike’s and Roy’s pharmacies.
Government’s continued move to embrace the pre-qualification provision, Dr. Norton said, is one that suggests that it is prepared to “stifle out all other drug providers.” Moreover, he noted that the Minister should be directing attention to whether the Ministry, and by extension, the Government, is being robbed in its drugs procurement process. “He should be seeking to find out if we are being overcharged,” insisted Dr. Norton.
“The Minister in ‘gangnam-style’ and with flowery words is talking about locking people up but we are not convinced that he is trying to address anything,” added the Shadow Health Minister.
“Until we are prepared to evaluate and have a COI we will continue to have the problems we are seeing…Nobody will be fooled by the Minister; nobody is even afraid by the Minister’s statements.
The issue is to look at the cost we are paying for the drugs that are procured,” Dr. Norton firmly emphasised.
The troubling development in the health sector, Dr. Norton added, leaves one to beg the question “whether we have the right people in the right positions.” He recalled that it was just such a question that was asked by President Donald Ramotar when he commented on matters affecting the public health sector.
Dr. Ramsaran, during a recent interview, disclosed that “there are known thieves in the system and they keep fetching out things.” The Minister, at the time, pointed accusing fingers at some health care workers whom he believes have been taking advantage of lax supervision. “In the night time for example it is difficult to have the same level of supervision (as in the day)…Some of the workers rotate at nights but we cannot have a police state. We have to have a mature work force.”
The Minister added that the Ministry is currently putting measures in place to tackle the prevailing challenge that has been negatively impacting the delivery of health care.
“Because we know things are continuing to disappear, we are putting systems in place but at the same time we would expect health care providers to have a conscience,” said Dr. Ramsaran even as he highlighted that it is clear that not all health workers are engaged in such activities.
According to him, the few who so engage are among those who have ready access to the drugs that disappear.
The Minister without specifically detailing plans to combat the “troubling thieving” situation, expressed optimism that the media would not condemn looming actions when they are officially implemented.
“I hope we don’t get too adverse criticism when we start to take measures and people start to get lock-up,” the Minister noted.
Jagdeo giving Exxon 102 cent to collect 2 cent.
Apr 25, 2024
By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – The French Diplomatic Office in Guyana, in collaboration with the Guyana Olympic Association and UNICEF, hosted an exhibition on Tuesday evening at the...Kaieteur News – Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, persists in offering... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]