Few containers that arrived at the NMS.
Over the past few days, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has noted concerns raised by our citizens about the shortages and delays of medical supplies held at the Solomon Ports.
As the ministry responsible, MHMS acknowledges these concerns and wishes to provide some updates on the national medical stock level through a combined effort with partner ministries and partners to speed up replenishment of stocks and distribution across the country. But the Ministry is also very concerned about the serious allegations that lack substantial evidence and totally biased.
In a joint effort to address some of the bottlenecks, the MHMS and Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT), had sorted out the these bottlenecks and consequently, this has led to the clearance of the remaining containers at the ports and are slowly being offloaded to the National Medical Stores (NMS). The clearance of these containers does not only involve MHMS and MOFT but other stakeholders including our shipping freight agents, SIPA and also our suppliers and contractors from abroad. The Ministry again acknowledges our Partner Ministry, MOFT for keeping an open line on a 24/7 mode relating to essential services on system and further acknowledges our other stakeholders for their cooperation and support.
The Ministry is expecting more additional containers between now and closure of 2023. These containers relate to our 2022/2023 that are only arriving from abroad.
With the clearance of containers last week and this week, the Medicines stockpile at NMS now stands at 78% while our consumables stockpile at NMS is at 94%. The Ministry will also be honing in on the medicines and consumables stockpile levels at Provincial SLMS and Provincial Pharmacies levels to ensure maintenance of a desirable levels and that Provincial SLMS managers are held accountable on their stockpile levels on medicines and consumables.
For the past two weeks and last week, the Ministry has been working closely with various charters organised by line Ministries, and also with various private vessels for shipments of medical supplies to Gizo and Makira Province Second Level Medical Stores (SLMSs) have reached their destinations, and replenishment of these SLMSs has been sorted out. The Shipment to Makira and Sasamunga Hospital was at kind delivery of the Electoral Office charter and the Ministry acknowledges the Electoral Office for making space of our medical supplies to be on board their charter.
The ministry is also considering to do a few airlifts for fast delivery of medical supplies and consumables in our very remote provinces given and is working closely with MOFT on arrangements.
Apart from the medical supplies update, the ministry would also like to refute statements made via print and social media that medical containers have been sitting at the Ports area since 2021 and 2022. The Ministry is not privy to such medical containers sitting at the Ports for over 2 years and these claims are grossly misleading.
Again, as a responsible ministry, MHMS has never turned a blind eye to this issue, as claimed by some, but works tirelessly despite the many challenges to ensure medical supplies are restocked here at the National Referral Hospital, our provincial hospitals and to all our health clinics across the country and to further ensure that our health services are delivered.
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