A major shortage of essential medical supplies has hit Maridi Hospital and health centers in Western Equatoria State’s Maridi County, a health official said.

Asiki Festo Ruben, the County Health Department Director, told Radio Tamazuj Wednesday that although the hospital receives quarterly consignments of medical and equipment supplies, there is still a challenge in the quantity of the essential drugs needed for specific cases.

“In Maridi County, in terms of health, we do receive drug consignments every quarter as planned by the National Ministry of Health and implementing partners. The challenge is that the essential drugs we receive are not enough,” he explained. “The essential drugs are common drugs like injectable antibiotics, strong antibiotics, and anti-malarial medicine that are relevant for the conditions common in our area.  Of course, we do receive but the quantity is not enough.’’

According to Asiki, the low quantity of medicine supplied is due to the reduction in the number of health facilities from the previous 23 to only seven in Greater Maridi County.

He highlighted that responding to emergencies is another challenge and that sometimes patients in far-flung areas find it difficult to access medical services since there is only one ambulance is in poor mechanical condition.

“We have only one ambulance which is in poor working condition and when there is an emergency, it is called to transport sick people to the hospital,” he said. “The common emergency cases are deliveries, accidents, and gunshot wounds. When a patient is far or in a place without a telephone network, the situation worsens and they have to find their way to the hospital and some even die along the way.”

On her part, 27-year-old Joyce Hadia, a mother of two, said that sometimes patients get to the hospital only to be referred to clinics to buy the drugs after diagnosis.

“The issues of sicknesses are really disturbing and sometimes you go to the hospital and they diagnose you with malaria, fever, or typhoid, all the common sicknesses. They will prescribe some drugs which you are referred to buy from the expensive clinic,” she lamented. “We are suffering and call upon the government to help us by supplying the hospital with enough drugs.”