00:00Patients on government's Chronic Disease Assistance Program, CDAP,
00:05benefit from access to free medication on 52 different drugs.
00:10Over the years, shortages occur on some of the drugs, as is currently the situation,
00:15confirms Minister of Health Dr. Lakram Bodo.
00:18We have 52 items on CDAP. It's quite a large number of items on CDAP.
00:23I can't say exactly the number that will show at this point in time,
00:28but I know it's a small number and we're dealing with that.
00:31He says the problem stems from the procurement procedure done through NIPDEC
00:35and international supply chain issues play a role when shortages occur.
00:40But we are working at the ministry level to tighten up the procurement
00:45and the supply chain process to ensure that procurement is done in a timely manner.
00:50So I'm trying to identify, in fact, when I leave here this afternoon,
00:53I'm meeting with a team from the ministry to address these particular challenges
00:58that have come up in the public domain.
01:01But I want to give you public the assurance that the Ministry of Health
01:03and the government is doing everything in our power to ensure that the supply of drugs remain.
01:08We recognise these challenges and we are working to fix it.
01:11He says these problems predate his time as minister,
01:15but says it is an area currently under review
01:18and he expects a report from NIPDEC soon as they move to improve the system.
01:23Minister Bodo notes, however,
01:26there are mechanisms in place to assist individual RHAs
01:30in meeting demands when shortages do occur.
01:33Keep in mind that in addition to the supply that the RHA has received from NIPDEC,
01:39they also have a way to buy drugs.
01:43There's something called an emergency purchase that they allow as RHAs.
01:46So they can utilise that avenue to purchase drugs
01:49where there is a shortage of supply from NIPDEC.
01:52Cindy Raguba, Tika Singh, TV6 News.
