By Francine Black, Staff ReporterTHE MINISTRY of Health said yesterday that steps have been taken to address the shortage of medication and other supplies currently affecting hospitals across the island.
This, after the lead story in yesterday's Gleaner highlighted the serious shortage of drugs and other basic supplies affecting the health facilities.
"We are aware of some drugs that are short, but there are substitutes. We have taken steps to ensure that the shortages of pharmaceutical drugs are dealt with," John Junor, Minister of Health, told The Gleaner.
He said the Ministry had made arrangements with its suppliers to ensure that hospitals without drugs would receive them shortly.
The shortage of supplies currently affecting the island's hospitals is reportedly due to the Ministry owing its suppliers millions of dollars.
Speaking during a November 18, 2003 sitting of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, Grace Allen-Young, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, revealed that the Ministry needed $3 billion to settle its debts alone, including an estimated $137 million for suppliers of pharmaceuticals.
She had indicated that the shortfall had primarily affected payment for supplies and contracted nutritional, janitorial and porter services.
Yesterday she said the Health Ministry had asked all hospitals to conduct audits of their infrastructure and equipment as it moves to make improvements to the island's health care facilities.
"What I have asked from all the regions is a list of all the infrastructural and equipment needs," the Permanent Secretary said.
RETREAT
She told The Gleaner that following the review, a strategic retreat will be held to make decisions about how to approach the needs.
"At the strategic retreat we will pull together what we intend to do with what," Mrs. Allen-Young said.
The audit involves a comprehensive review of the equipment and physical structure of the island's hospitals. The Ministry will be seeking to prioritise the needs and determine how to prepare them in order to access funding through support programmes such as the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund.
