The Ministry of Health (MoH) has pledged to clear the backlog of medical supplies held at the ports within the next two weeks.
This commitment comes in response to planned demonstrations by health-centric Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) demanding the release of critical Global Fund medicines for diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV, which have been detained since May 2023.
The government attributes the delay to new exemption bill payment processes and additional charges.
“We are committed to getting the containers out and for me personally, irrespective of the bureaucracies involved with government and all that I have given myself two weeks. In two weeks, I myself will not be encouraged if there are two more or one more containers left at the port.
“In fact, and this one you can take it from me. If by two weeks we still have containers at the port, you will not see me, I will be sitting rather at the port. I will sit at the port with them until everything comes out,” he declared.
The Minister’s declaration underscores the government’s determination to resolve the issue promptly and ensure the timely distribution of essential medical supplies to healthcare facilities across the country.