BY MBONO MDLULI
LOBAMBA – The Central Medical Stores (CMS) is now poised to guarantee that all medicines reach those who need them most across every corner of the country.
This assertion was made by Minister Neal Rijkenberg on February 14, 2025, when he was prompted to elucidate certain aspects of the Budget Speech he had just presented in the House of Assembly. Rijkenberg remarked that, at present, experts from the Global Fund were in the country, endeavouring to assist the staff members at the CMS to ensure that the distribution of medicines was executed seamlessly.
Rijkenberg indicated that the primary issue concerning the supply of medicines lay in the disconnect between the CMS and the intended recipients, which encompassed public clinics and hospitals nationwide. He noted that this dilemma adversely impacted patients, who were meant to receive their medications, resulting in unnecessary health complications endured by Emaswati ultimately.
The minister acknowledged that while the procurement of medicines by the Government could present challenges, it constituted merely a fraction of the problem. He stated that addressing only this issue would prove insufficient, as the medicines would continue to be misplaced. Rijkenberg emphasised that the Government consistently allocated a budget for purchasing medicines; however, the crux of the issue resided in the management of the medicines from the CMS to their intended recipients.
Previously, the CMS bore no responsibility for medicines lost once they departed from its premises. However, this policy would now shift, with the CMS being held accountable until the medicines reached the clinics and hospitals. The minister expressed his conviction that this new arrangement would revolutionise the entire medicines sector, as it would introduce transparency from the point of purchase right through to the end recipient.
Rijkenberg was confident that with this system in place, the theft of medicines would be rendered virtually impossible. Meanwhile, he also noted that the Luke Commission would need to engage in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to generate sufficient funds for its operations. He conceded that the E30 million allocated for the health institution was inadequate to meet its financial demands.
Nonetheless, the minister clarified that the Government would not always be in a position to provide funding or support to the Luke Commission. He further elucidated that in the main budget, E10 million had been earmarked for the hospital, while E20 million had been allocated for the facility in the supplementary budget.
