Steering committee appointed to review National Medicines Policy
DPI, Guyana, Monday, September 18, 2017
A one-day workshop was held by the Ministry of Public Health to review the National Medicines Policy in Guyana. The revised policy is expected to strengthen pharmaceutical management and services.
The workshop which was held on Monday, September 18, at the Pegasus Hotel, engaged a series of pharmaceutical professionals who will be integral in ensuring that the redrafted policy caters to the priorities of the health system.
These will take into consideration service delivery, workforce, health information systems, access to medicines and other essential products, health system financing along with leadership and governance.
Hon. Volda Lawrence, Minister of Public Health.
The medicines policy is intended to foster commitment towards a specific goal and serve as a guide for action by the Ministry of Public Health in Guyana.
According to Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Public Health, such a policy will articulate and prioritise Government’s medium to long-term goals for the pharmaceutical sector. It can also provide a framework within which activities of the pharmaceutical sector can be better coordinated.
In strengthening this policy, a number of results are expected. Logistics Manager of the Material Management Unit, Colette Gouveia indicated that “we have started and we intend with your support to continue as such to have a sustained impact a strengthened pharmaceutical system and more than ever give direction to pharmacy through a documented roadmap”.
Colette Gouveia, Logistics Manager, Materials Management Unit.
Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence reiterated that the Government is working towards ensuring the availability of safe, essential and sound medicines at all health care facilities country-wide. It has been recognised that health facilities throughout Guyana continually face issues related to accessing health supplies, more specifically drugs and other pharmaceuticals.
Mister Lawrence explained that “there are reports emanating from hospitals clinics and medical facilities all across the ten administrative regions that they have issues with supplies and more so with supplies reaching them.” She further emphasised that a different approach must be taken and soon enough the issue of accessing medical supplies will be a thing of the past.
“We are going to get there and not only are we going to get there we are going to get further because we are committed to the well-being of our people and it’s not going to happen overnight because we are not going to apply band-aid measures.”
Before commissioning the steering committee to review the policy, Minister Lawrence added that the existing policy’s legal and regulatory framework must be evaluated, updated and tailored to the specified needs of the population and health services.
By: Delicia Haynes