The sick, the elderly, and those seeking medication in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are bitterly complaining about the inaccessibility of essential drugs at the public health facilities across the Region. There are also reports that the Suddie Hospital Pharmacy is also affected.
Regional Democratic Councillor and Head of Health and Sanitation committee, Arnold Adams
According to information reaching Guyana Times, more than 100 essential drugs are in short supply at the Suddie Pharmacy, which has resulted in a disruption in supply to other health facilities, including the one in Akawini, in the Pomeroon River.
Hospitals’ representatives have also informed this publication that requests for supplies had been made two months ago, and to date, there has been no delivery. Doctors, nurses and medical professionals are also finding it difficult to execute their duties with the unavailability of medication. The medical practitioners have also explained that they were now being forced to issue tablets instead of injections since bandages and IVC infusion sets were not available. They said too that the current situation was forcing them to conduct “messy” practices.
Diabetic patients who are enrolled at the diabetic clinic also reported that their treatments were not repeated owing to the shortage, and they were burdened with paying for their medications and treatments.
Meanwhile, People’s Progressive Party Region Two Councillor and the Head of the Health and Sanitation Committee, Arnold Adams, at the last statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), raised the issue of the drug shortages. Adams said that the Region has been hit by the worst drug shortages and despite representation, no meaningful follow-ups were being made to rectify the situation. Adams confirmed that residents were severely affected by the current situation. Residents, medical practitioners and regional officials are calling on the Public Health Minister to urgently intervene and to ensure that the Region is supplied with the necessary medicines.
