Margibi County — The Humanity Above Oneself Foundation(HAOSF), a non-governmental organization, has released a report alleging that authorities at several health facilities across Margibi County failed to account for USAID-donated malaria medicines and testing kits during its recent monitoring on the usage and distribution of malaria commodities in the county.
HAOSF, an implementing organization of USAID-sponsored Liberia Civil Society Activity (CSA) Drug Stock-out Mapping and Supply Chain Management Advocacy project, recent monitoring exercise in Margibi County looked into the management of medicines and health supplies at the districts and county levels.
Mr. Ernest W. Cholopray, Humanity Above Oneself Foundation Project Manager, releasing the report on Wednesday in Kakata, Margibi County, said that at the district and county levels under the period of January-March 2024, HAOSF's report exposed malpractices of drug stock outs and challenges including poor inventory management, inadequate storage, limited and delayed reporting, delayed distribution, limited logistics, and delayed requisition and poor data quality.
At the facility level during the period under review, the report also discovered health workers delayed reporting on consumption, limited knowledge of reporting forms, misappropriation, high staff turnover amongst many others.
The report has also revealed that the Lango Lippaye school-based clinic did not document the supply of seven boxes of Artemeter/Lumefantrine 20/120mg (1X5) it received from the Government of Liberia's Central Medical Store (CMS) which is managed by the World Food Program (WFP) between January-March 2024.
The report also said poor management of stock records was uncovered at several clinics and hospitals including the BWI, Lango Lippaye, KRTTI, Larkay-Ta, 14 Military Hospital, Edward Beyan Kesselly Clinic. It reported that Drugs Dispensary Register did not fill stockcard while some filled multiply stockcards for the same commodity.
At the same time, HAOSF's report stated that the Lango Lippaye school-based clinic received 1,250 Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests. 100 pieces of that were used and balance of 1150. However, according to the report, six boxes were unaccounted for after physical count.
The report further revealed that the BWI's school-based clinic issued the total of 120 stripes of Artemeter/Lumefantrine 20/120mg (1X5), (2X11) 60 stripes, (6-13) 30 stripes to patients and could not provide information on the total patients they provided the commodity to. When further questioned, the report said, the BWI's school-based health workers explained that the commodities were given to adults' patients in the right dosage and the facility had 57 months of stock for adult medicines.
"Kakata Central Prison clinic: the Artemeter/Lumefantrine 20/120mg (1X5) & (2 - 11) distributed in Jan. 2024 are yet to be use by facility and th Larkay-ta health facility has very poor record management, stockcards not updated, issuance of medication to patients not documented," the report read.
Patients Paying for Free Malaria Drugs
Meanwhile, Mr. Cholopray quoting the report disclosed that residents of Margibi acknowledged of being aware that there are free malaria medications in Public Health Facilities in the county but difficult to access.
He said during focus group discussion held in Buzzy Quarter, World Bank and Lango Town Communities in KaKata, the locals alleged that nurses and doctors always informed patients that there is no Malaria medication in public health facilities and often given subscription to go and purchase malaria medication outside of health facilities.
"Health workers drive patients away from facilities and don't pay attention to them if they become stubborn and refuse to pay for medication. Overall patients pay between $2,500.00 - $7,000.00 Liberian Dollars for Malaria treatment," the report read further.
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The HAOSF's report release was attended by USAID representative, Margibi County's local supply chain stakeholders including the county health team, members of the county health board, and the county council to elevate issues of drug delivery irregularities and stock-outs to the county supply chain stakeholders.
For her part, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission to Liberia Democracy and Governance Officer, Alexandra Simonians, extolled HAOSF for the report and expressed the believed that such initiative help curtail stock out and prevent corruption within the health sector.
Simonians, however, admonished Liberians, especially civil society actors to ensure that USAID-donated malaria and tuberculosis drugs are safeguarded in order to reach the needy.
