| Original Message |
Anonymous
Posted Jun 29, 2009 3:08 PM
PNG acts on medicine racket
Firmin Nanol, Port Moresby
Last Updated: 2 hours 10 minutes ago
Papua New Guinea health authorities are cracking down on a racket that has seen medications stolen from the national health department and sold on the streets of urban centres including the capital, Port Moresby.
Some of PNG's major public hospitals do not have common antibiotics readily available to cure common illnesses.
As a result, some hospitals are giving patients prescriptions to buy medicine from commercial pharmacies.
But patients are now finding it easier to buy medicines sold openly on the streets and in urban markets.
Replaced
Health Minister Sasa Zibe told Radio Australia the health department had identified a serious problem in its medical supply branch and senior officials had been replaced.
They were alleged to have been involved in stealing and selling drugs to outsiders.
He said he believed tougher licensing "is the only way, otherwise we cannot police it. That is our big problem now".
Dr Mathias Sapuri, president of the PNG Medical Board, said forcing patients to buy common antibiotics from the street was promoting the illegal medical drug trade.
"We are fully aware, with evidence to show, that medicines have been sold on the street, amoxcillin and (anti-malarials) and other antibiotics," he said.
Steps taken
"Some of these are regular supplies that come through the national Department of Health."
But Dr Sapuri said he understood the department had now taken steps to improve medical supplies, "so that we will be able to bring medicines to the rest of our people in Papua New Guinea, so that they do not fall into the temptation to just go and buy those illegally sold medications on the markets, or use products that may cause more problem to their health than good".
Dr Sapuri warned Papua New Guineans not to buy antibiotics and drugs on offer outside licensed channels.
"The risks are very high," the medical board president said.
"If you are taking medicine that is counterfeit, then it will not treat your condition.
"They may be expired, may be wrong packaging, may be wrong medicine. You can end up as a patient, you can end up with bad reaction."
Further, if incorrect doses were taken, it can "lead to resistance, particularly with antibiotics and anti-malarials. So one has got to be very careful.
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