Nurses body hits at govt over drug crisis

National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (Nomn) has faulted government for failing to address an on-going drug crisis that is negatively affecting service delivery in public health facilities nationwide.

Nonm said nurses and other health workers are “tired of being witness to preventable deaths” in the country’s public health institutions.

Nonm president Dorothy Ngoma made the remarks at a news conference convened to brief journalists on the body’s participation at the just-ended annual International Council of Nurses and Midwives Conference in Seoul, South Korea.

The country’s hospitals have been experiencing drug shortages and other woes due to low funding challenges.

President Peter Mutharika, addressing a development rally in Blantyre Malabada Constituency on Sunday, expressed surprise at reports of shortage of drugs in the country’s public hospitals, saying government has bought enough drugs recently.

Drug shortages in public hospitals in recent years have been attributed to several factors, including pilferage as well as outstanding bills district health offices owe the Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST), the certified supplier of medical drugs and accessories in the public sector.

But Ngoma dismissed the President’s position yesterday, saying government has failed to remit to district councils money for district health offices to procure drugs from CMST.

She said nurses are tired of repeatedly writing petitions to government to address the same issues, adding that while Nonm was currently also engaging government on the matter, government must own up its responsibility to Malawians.

Ngoma cited the situation in Mzimba where nurses have threatened to go on strike due to the worsening of the situation.

On the conference, Ngoma praised the Seoul deliberations as crucial in shaping a global agenda for nurses and cited issues of epidemic preparedness such as Ebola crisis as one of the lessons drawn from the summit.