Patients panic as hospitals run out of drugs

The situation is getting dire every day. Frustrated, dejected and stranded describe feelings of patients turned away from the country’s referral hospitals due to drug stock-outs.

Mariana Mandala, who was referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre from Chikwawa District Hospital, had a rude awakening when medical officers asked her to go to a store to buy drugs.

She said: “This is sad! I did not come all the way to be referred to a pharmacy.

“Honestly, I am in fix because the only money I have is for transport.”

Mandala is one of several patients who are stranded in the course of seeking healthcare in central hospitals.

While admitting the problem, hospital authorities have attributed it to inadequate funding.

Nation on Sunday spot checks show that tramadol, methyldopa, paracetamol, aspirin, carboplatin and antibiotics are some of the drugs out of stock in most hospitals.

On the part of medical supplies, syringes, catheters, gloves, cotton wool, plasters, and spinal and dental needles are also reportedly out of stock.

While some patients were able to buy the materials, the majority could not afford and they have to wait weeks on end to be treated.

Mandala could not hide her frustration: “Many people going to government hospitals are poor and cannot afford drugs from pharmacies.

“Government should do something to end this problem. Otherwise, we are likely to lose many people to treatable disease.”

Her sentiments were echoed by a cancer patient who goes to QECH for chemotherapy.

The patient, who opted for anonymity, explained: “When the hospital runs out of carboplatin, they ask us either to buy the drug from pharmacies or return to the hospital another day.

“The well-to-do opt to buy carboplatin and carry on with treatment, but the poor return home without treatment.

“What is saddening is that sometimes we stay without treatment for long which may complicate further our situations.”

Mzuzu-based Mary Jere also shared her story.

She went to Mzuzu Central Hospital with a toothache, but was not treated due to lack of needles.

“I had no option, but to endure the pain while I waited for the hospital to be restocked with drugs and needles. After some days, I was fortunate to have been treated,” said Jere.

Patience Tembo has no kind words either for Machinga District Hospital.

She was referred to Zomba Central Hospital (ZCH) due to lack of methyldopa.

The drug is used to treat high blood pressure in pregnant women.

“I travelled several kilometres for methyldopa. I found it to be an inconvenience. I obliged because of my condition,” said Tembo.

James Kanyundo shared a similar story.

Kamuzu Central Hospital medics asked him to buy omeprazole from a pharmacy to treat his ulcers.

“I borrowed transport money only to be told to buy the drug at a pharmacy. They said they were expecting new stocks of drugs any day. So, I returned home without treatment.”

In separate interviews last week, hospital authorities admitted that drug stock-outs are impacting on service delivery.

ZCH director Saulos Nyirenda said referrals are piling pressure on the hospital and stretching its budget.

He admitted that they are running short of cotton, syringes, catheters and other materials.

Said Nyirenda: “The situation is slightly better at central than district hospitals because we are able to purchase some drugs and medical supplies from pharmacies.

“District hospitals entirely rely on the central government. As a result, they refer patients to central hospitals which stretch our budgets.”

District hospitals are facing persistent drug shortages since some district health offices have depleted their drug budgets.

“In fact, some district hospitals ask central hospitals to give them some essential drugs and medical supplies,” said Nyirenda.

His counterpart at Mzuzu Central Hospital Dr Ted Bandawe said they have currently managed the situation.

“A few weeks ago, we ran out of spinal and dental needles. We, however, quickly restocked them.”

QECH director Dr Samson Mndolo said he needed to check the situation with the facility’s pharmacist while KCH director Dr Jonathan Ngoma was out of reach.

The drug crisis has since compelled health rights activists to appeal to the government to resolve it before it escalates further.

Health and Rights Programme executive director Maziko Matemba said in an interview last week that the situation needs to be addressed to avoid serious consequences.

He said: “Indeed we are hearing reports of shortages of essential medicines in some of our health facilities and this requires urgent attention.

“However, it is pleasing to note that Parliament passed a Bill for a grant to support the health sector on procurement of these drugs.”

Matemba said the purchase of drugs for both central and district hospitals needs to be done with speed as delays will cost people’s lives.

Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Dr Charles Mwansambo on Wednesday referred the matter to the ministry’s director of health technical services Godfrey Kadewere who promised to get back to us on Thursday, but he did not by press time.

The Association of Malawian Midwives and National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives last month expressed frustrations with the drug shortage and medical supplies across the country’s health facilities.

Amami president Keith Lipato and Nonm president Shouts Simenza in a joint statement described the situation as pathetic, stressing that it is impossible for nurses and midwives to discharge their duties in assisting Malawians in need, particularly mothers and babies.

The duo further said it would be imperative for relevant authorities to put measures in place to ensure that no lives are lost due to lack of supplies. They also decried the intermittent power outages describing them as a hindrance to service delivery.

On October 6 2022, our sister newspaper The Nation reported that a newborn’s mother died in Mitundu after power went out as medics attended to her heavy bleeding and back-up power failed.

The 32-year-old woman, Tereza Ziyasi, had been admitted at Mitundu Community Hospital which is on the outskirts of Lilongwe.

On November 5 2022, Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe also suspended its services in the labour ward and theatre due to lack of supplies for maternal health services.

But in the aftermath of the Bwaila Community Hospital incident, Mwansambo said in a statement that the government is ensuring the availability of adequate medical drugs and other medical supplies across the country’s health facilities.

Last week, a sister paper Weekend Nation reported of a looming crisis in the health sector following some district health and social services offices depleting their drug budgets.