• Ordered over 200 mln USD pharmaceutical supplies
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency (EPSA) said that it is working for smooth provision of the 1,373 pharmaceutical items of drugs during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and establishing committees for this purpose.
Adina Berrie, Agency’s Public Relation and Communication Director told The Ethiopian Herald that the agency is providing 1,373 basic pharmaceutical items, medication and pharmaceutical equipment.
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the agency established a committee for the smooth provision of these pharmaceutical supplies during this pandemic period since it is hard to provide sustainable pharmaceutical supplies with the normal procedure, Adina said.
The director added that two committees, one within the agency and the other with other stakeholders are established to facilitate the process of delivering pharmaceutical supplies from purchasing, transportation, distribution and market follow-up smoothly since 80 per cent of pharmaceutical supplies are imported.
The Agency assesses the stock of medications daily since there is daily transaction and identified the needed items. Based on this mechanism the committees are facilitating the process by taking necessary measures.
As to Adina, in the first place the agency counted the available stock and identified the basic pharmaceutical supplies and medications which are necessary to treat associated diseases that help COVID-19 virus. Then, she said, the agency decided to have stable stock of these treatment tablets and equipment.
Although not all, up to now there is no series shortage of the 1373 items providing by the agency and the agency was prepared for rapid response.
Meanwhile, Agency’s Deputy Director Tesfalem Adraro told ENA that the agency is underway to purchase over 200 million USD pharmaceutical equipment’s necessary to combat COVID-19.
According to Tesfalem over 13 million face masks for health workers will to enter to stock and distribute soon. In addition, he added, the agency is working to purchase necessary medical supplies to control COVID-19 like face masks and other supplies.
Tesfalem noted that the international purchasing that consumed 35 days so far cuts to 15 days after the outbreak of the pandemic.
Adina calls all stakeholders to fulfill their responsibility for the smooth provision and distribution of pharmaceutical supplies at this critical time and calls local suppliers to boost their capacity.
The Ethiopian Herald April 18 /2020
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
