Minister of Health Dr. Samateh told law makers, Wednesday that twenty-five percent (25) of the country’s drugs is consumed by none Gambians at various boarder health facilities. He claims that even though health workers know some of the patients before them are none Gambians but they have no option but to treat them since these people have our national IDs.
The Health minister was responding to a parliamentary question posed by member for Lower Fulladu West, Hon Omar Darboe, who asks what the ministry’s plans are to complete construction work at the Brikamaba Health facility, and also to address drug shortages at the same facility.
Minister Samateh inform members that government supplied up to D6.5 million worth of drugs from the Rural Based Funding (RBF), out of which Brikamaba facility spend up to D3.3 million. The Minister agrees that what is allocated for drugs is not adequate but other contributing factors are due to poor communications.
Samateh said drugs are stored at the Bansang hospital for other facilities within the region, but many a time what happens is that, the stores at Bansang are not notify in advance, and as a result due to late communication drugs do not get to the facilities on time, leaving a gap referred to as shortage, when actually there are no shortages.
Hon Darboe of Lower Fulladu West explains that most of the time when patients get to Brikama- ba health facility, after when they are diagnosed, they are not given drugs but they are left to go and buy drugs for themselves. He claims that he Darboe happen to visit the centre at one time and it coincides a woman was in labor and the health facility do not even have gloves for the nurses.
25% of Gambia’s Drugs Goes to None-Gambians
