Pauline Kairu
24 October 2008
A life saving drug is rotting in the national medical stores and district stores as clinics in charge fail to collect them.
Magnesium sulfate, a drug that is meant to be free for pregnant women, is expiring in the government stores, the Assistant Commissioner for Reproductive Health Division, Ministry of Health, Dr Anthony Mbonye, said.
"It is an embarrassment that In-charges don't know that this drug is available at the National Medical Stores," Dr Mbonye said in response to a query raised by participants on whether the drug is available in the country.
He was speaking during a meeting of the 6th Government of Uganda and United Nations Population Fund country programme 2008 in Jinja on Wednesday. "The medication is used to control seizures and treat eclampsia (raised blood pressure with convulsions), an acute and life-threatening pregnancy complication. The pregnant women who need the drug simply don't get it, that is why you find that maternal mortality in Uganda is very high," he said.
According to the Uganda demographic health survey 2006, there are 435 deaths during pregnancy and childbirth per 100,000 pregnant women.
Though Mr Mbonye did not divulge details of how much drugs have been going to waste, he partly blamed the lack of the drug in health centres on negligence on the part of the in-charges as well as logistical problems including lack of funds to facilitate the process of drug flow and strong systems for mobilisation.
The three-day annual review meeting is meant to review the progress and achievements of the 6th GoU/UNFPA in 2008 and develop a work plan for 2009.
It was also revealed that the government plans to review a policy that could pave way for performance of minor surgical operations by midwives and clinical officers.
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