Malarial drugs

The National Ministry of Health has dispatched anti-malarial drugs to all 10 states in the country.

The Under-secretary at the ministry says the drugs will be taken to the state capitals and distributed to the various counties.

“We are pre-positioning anti-malarial drugs in the states such that by the time the rainy season comes – that’s when we expect malaria cases to rise – we will already have the medicine in place rather than just wait,” Dr. Makur Koriom told Eye Radio.

Western Equatoria state Minister of Health has welcomed the decision.

John Mbona says the state has been facing a shortage of drugs in the main state hospital in Yambio.

“Definitely, it’ll make a great change because we have malaria which is endemic in the state and if there is no medicine, then it is a problem because people may die from the disease.”

Last month, five tons of medicines were dispatched to Malakal, Bor and Bentiu hospitals.

The move came after officials from Upper Nile and Jonglei state told Eye Radio there was a shortage of drugs in the states.

Eastern Equatoria state health minister had also complained of drugs shortages in hospitals with the rising number of IDPs in the state.