The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has been approved funding to source much needed drugs.
This is according to acting GPHC Chief Executive Officer Allan Johnson, who confirmed the approval following a meeting with the Finance Secretary.
Johnson explained to Stabroek News on Thursday that the funding, equivalent to 1/12 (one twelfth) of the hospital’s budgetary appropriations for the previous fiscal year, will be immediately used to stock the “critically” depleted hospital pharmacy.
On Monday, officials from the GPHC and Ministry of Health, appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), reported the shortage.
Yvonne Bullen, Administrative Manager of the hospital pharmacy, told the Committee, “The Corpora-tion needs drugs. I have a list of the items that are unavailable. If a patient needs a particular drug urgently, well that drug is being purchased but right now even aspirin, paracetamol and B-complex are not in stock. We have kidney transplants being conducted at the hospital those drugs are expensive. We have our Oncology Department which needs drugs. Those are expensive. Even when we get supplies, we do not get supplies in adequate quantities”
In total, Bullen provided the committee with a list of 186 drugs which were either completely out of stock, in very low supply (one week or less) or in short supply (less than one month).
Johnson further explained that due to cash flow problems, he had ordered drugs to last until the period ending this month.
Chairman of the PAC Irfaan Ali declared that such was not the way to run the health care sector in the country. He advised the hospital delegation to urgently meet with the Finance Secretary to put measures in place to address the shortage. One measure suggested was accessing one twelfth of last year’s budget to finance purchases.
