Dar es Salaam.

THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and AIDS has called on institutions owed by the Medicines Depot (MSD) to pay the debts which generally amount to more than Shs. 20 billion and among those owed money are the Muhimbili National Hospital and MOI.

The advice was given today, September 13, 2023 in Dar es Salaam by the Committee after conducting a visit to the MSD warehouses in Mabibo and Keko where they were also expressed to be pleased with the various steps taken by the warehouse to serve the citizens in purchasing, storing and distributing medicines and medical equipment at an average of more than 90 percent.

The Chairman of the Committee, Stanslaus Nyongo, while summarizing the visit of the Members of Parliament of the Parliamentary Committee on Health and AIDS, said they were pleased with the strategies of the warehouse but it is good that the debtors pay the debts so that MSD can continue to provide its services.

"We have received various reports from MSD on how they have planned to provide their services to the public but there is a challenge of debts that they claim from their customers, so we advise that these debts be paid...

" However, in discussing the debts that MSD claims from its customers, we have been told that they are delayed because they are waiting to be paid by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

"In our visit, we expect to go to the Health Insurance so we will talk to them so that they can pay the money they are owed. Therefore, this is something that we will discuss and reach an agreement," said Nyongo.

Regarding MSD's request for capital from the Government, the Chairman of the Committee said that the government is in the final stages of providing capital to MSD and Parliament will continue to fight for this empowerment to be achieved quickly, the goal being to build the capacity of the institution in the national interest.

He explained that this situation is the basis for the results of the improvement of quality health services, a step that will also allow the depot to build its warehouses and reduce the burden of the cost of shortages, ordering, distributing and producing medicines and medical equipment appropriately.

"The committee is satisfied with how MSD has strategically planned itself in the production of medicines and able to grow the institution according to existing needs. Therefore, while this continues, it is good that those who owe the depot in the Eastern region pay their debts."

For his part, Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Godwin Mollel has explained step by step the efforts being made by the Government led by President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan to facilitate the depot and the health sector in general and regarding the debt that MSD claims from Muhimbili Hospital and MOI.

Explaining these debts, he said that instructions have already been given that within 60 days from the time the service is provided, the debt must be paid, so these are instructions while explaining that they will talk to the National Health Insurance Fund so that they too pay the money owed by those hospitals.

Meanwhile, MSD Director General Mavere Tukai, has explained that the warehouse is currently overflowing with shipments of medicines and medical equipment which are being unloaded as a recently ordered load.

"The committee has come at a good time, we have moved from importing to receiving a large load of health equipment, now all the projects that had challenges, especially medical equipment, have sufficient cargo, containers are continuing to unload cargo and we have explained to them where we are and where we are going.

"We are not talking about strategies anymore, we are in the implementation phase, we have improved import contracts, availability and our relationship with suppliers by decentralizing MSD, improving accountability and infrastructure by building new warehouses where in Dar es Salaam we pay 2 billion per month to rent one warehouse so we must build our own," he said.

He also said that due to the decrease in the capital of the warehouse, the Government is continuing with implementation steps to provide it with funds where the Ministry of Finance is in the final process and the hopes are high, the goal is to ensure that health services in the country meet existing needs.

Mavere said that in ensuring that the warehouse does not become a burden on the government, they are continuing with the process of involving the private sector in production.

Earlier, the MSD Eastern Zone Manager Betia Kaema said that the zone that serves the Coastal Regions and Zanzibar faces a major challenge of lacking a warehouse space that meets the standards and debts owed to their customers.

“The committee has advised us to closely monitor existing debts as they are growing rapidly, so far the region owes more than shillings. 20 billion and for us to get medicine and services to continue, we must pay the supply...

"We have received instructions and will continue to talk to those we owe so that they can pay us and we can operate on our own," said Kaema and stressed that currently the supply of medicine and medical equipment has improved, thus reducing complaints as in the past.