By Mike Sebalu
The Minister of Finance, Matia Kasaija has hit back at the National Medical Stores (NMS) for blaming the current drug stock-outs on his ministry.
According to the NMS Public Relations Officer (PRO), Sheila Nduhukire, the delayed release of funds from the Finance ministry is causing interruptions in the distribution of essential medicines.
The current crisis has caused many patients to seek alternative means of getting medicine which is rather costly.
Minister Kasaija says he is shocked and not aware of what is happening at the National Medical Stores
“I don’t know where you have picked it, I don’t know whether they are complaining that they have not been given money to buy drugs and supply them to our various medical institutions. There could be; either their budget item or they have been overwhelmed by demand and the budget which we have is not sufficient to cover but otherwise, health as a sector when we are frontloading money is one of those that become among the first,” Kasaija said.
