MHMS TO STRENGTHEN SUPPLY-CHAIN GOVERNANCE AND WORK TOWARDS FULL AVAILABILITY OF ESSENTIAL MEDICINES AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES AT EVERY LEVEL OF CARE
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) will strengthen supply-chain governance and work towards full availability of essential medicines and medical supplies at every level of care, says, Health Minister Honourable Morris Toiraena in his speech to the Throne of Parliament last week.
He said, “the first test of the health system is simple: when a patient arrives at a clinic or hospital, are the essential medicines there?”
“Too many Solomon Islanders have experienced the frustration of travelling for hours, sometimes by boat and sometimes on foot, only to find that a medicine is unavailable. This causes suffering for patients, places unbearable pressure on health workers, and weakens public confidence in the system”, said Minister Toiraena.
He noted, the MHMS will therefore strengthen supply-chain governance and work towards full availability of essential medicines and medical supplies at every level of care.
“This means improving procurement, storage, forecasting, distribution, stock monitoring and accountability. It means making sure medicines reach the facilities that need them, not merely arriving at a central warehouse. And it means addressing waste, expiry and leakage wherever they occur”, he said.
He added, the ministry will also strengthen its partnerships with other sectors, provinces, suppliers, gents, development partners and communities, because a medicine supply system cannot work through one office alone. It must work all the way down the supplier chain.