To overcome shortage: Procedure streamlined for medicine supply to hospitals

Aim is to ensure there are no delays in replenishing stocks

PESHAWAR: To make the process of procuring medicines as transparent as possible and overcome shortages, the provincial health ministry has directed medical superintendents and health officers to place orders directly with suppliers approved by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government.

“Medical superintendents, district health officers, deputy district health officers, as the case may be, shall place supply orders directly with the suppliers according to their demands,” a letter issued from the office of the health services director general stated. It was addressed to the officials concerned.

Earlier

Health facilities would place demands with the government which would consequently advertise the request. The process was lengthy and time was needed to supply the required items to health facilities.

The letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, stated a supply completion certificate should be sent to the medicines coordination cell to maintain records and for monitoring. It stated complaints over supply should be communicated to the cell within the contractual time-frame.

New ways

The health services DG informed officials that they would be responsible for timely payments upon successful completion of supply. He added action would be taken against officials who fail to pay for the supplied items.

For autonomy

Officials told The Express Tribune that the provincial government wanted to give maximum autonomy to health institutions so that the heads of such facilities could run their activities without involving officials in Peshawar.

They stated the government approved a list of manufacturers and suppliers, adding hospital managements were now independent and could place their demands directly with approved firms.

“This was the need of the hour and now heads of facilities will not be able to give excuses for the shortage of medicines,” a senior health official said.

When contacted, Health Services DG Dr Pervez Kamal confirmed the development. “We only wanted to reduce time and make the whole process open and transparent.”

He maintained authorities were trying their best to ensure that officials need not demand each and every thing from the directorate.

The DG pointed out the directorate was striving to provide officials with a ready-made system. He said since DHOs were being funded directly, they will have to purchase required items straight from the approved suppliers.

He also said matters were finalised after detailed discussion and rates of procuring medicines and the bidding process had been completed.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2016.