KAGERA: KAGERA Regional Commissioner (RC) Col Ramadhan Kido has directed councils in Kagera and Geita regions to settle outstanding debts amounting to 9.3bn/- owed to the Medical Stores Department (MSD).
The RC said that timely payment of the debts is crucial for sustaining the supply of medicines and other essential health commodities. Speaking during an MSD stakeholders’ and customers’ engagement meeting in Bukoba Municipality recently, Col Kido said Kagera Region accounts for 7.3bn/- of the debt, while Geita Region owes 2.0bn/-.
He also urged councils to allocate part of their internally generated revenue to procure medicines and medical supplies for health facilities to strengthen healthcare service delivery. MSD Kagera Zonal Manager, Mr Kalendero Masatu, said the department continues to implement reforms aimed at improving efficiency, reducing costs and strengthening the supply chain of health commodities.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that all health commodities are of good quality, affordable, safe for public use and distributed on time,” he said.
Mr Masatu said that MSD plays a critical role in ensuring the continuous availability of medicines and medical supplies in health facilities across the country by guaranteeing the consistent supply of safe, quality-assured and affordable health commodities.
He said one of the major projects underway is the construction of a modern medical warehouse in Chato District, Geita Region, which has reached 54 per cent completion at an estimated cost of 19bn/-.
According to him, MSD’s core responsibilities include production, procurement and storage of health commodities and distribution of the products to customers nationwide.
He said the department supplies between 81 and 83 per cent of health commodities required by public health facilities, with the remaining share sourced from private vendors at regional level.
ALSO READ: Govt targets higher life insurance uptake
Mr Masatu further said the availability of health commodities has improved significantly over the past five years, rising from about 40 per cent to more than 80 per cent. Meanwhile, a representative from the Prime Minister’s Office–Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Dr Francis Doto, urged councils to dispose expired medicines and laboratory reagents on time to safeguard public health.
He also called on councils to submit their medical requirements promptly to enable MSD to procure and distribute supplies without delays. MSD Kagera Zone serves Kagera and Geita regions.
According to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, Kagera Region has a population of 2.9 million people living in 662 villages, while Geita Region has a population of 2,977,608.