Dr.Bitekyerezo attributes increasing expiry of drugs in gov't health centers to absenteeism,unde

As government is set to dispose between 1,200 to 1,500 tons of drugs that have expired and others that have become obsolete, the Chairman of the National Drug Authority Board, Dr. Medard Bitekyerezo has attributed the increased expiry of drugs in government health centers to absenteeism of health workers and under staffing.

Dr. Bitekyerezo says that there are inadequate doctors to diagnose the patients therefore the drugs sent to public health centres , especially health center fours,end up expiring because there are no doctors to prescribe the drugs for patients.

According to Dr. Bitekyerezo , this has also increased the number of patients who flood referral hospitals thereby leading to shortage of drugs in the referrals.

He adds that the few available doctors are always absent with excuses that they have been attending official meetings and seminars everyday which has also affected health service delivery in the health centers.

He calls on government to recruit more staff if such challenges are to be overcome and improvehealth service delivery in the country.