THE National Referral Hospital (NRH) operating theatre is currently on an emergency mode and can only carry out emergency operations due to shortage of essential medical supplies, consumables and anaesthetic drugs.
The situation is believed to have started last week.
Reports reaching the paper early last week had revealed the operating theatre was forced to scale down its operations due limited supplies required to carry out surgical operations.
On Friday the NRH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr George Malefoasi confirmed the report where NRH’s operating theatre is only accepting emergency, accidents and referral cases.
He revealed this when speaking to the NRH Annual Operation Plan (AOP) 2024 -2025 at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) National Annual Planning and Budgeting 2024 – 2025 Workshop on Friday at the Heritage Park Hotel.
The CEO told the participants that one of their priorities next year is to ensure they have essential medical supplies that are available on time with services are being offered safe and secure.
That’s when he revealed that currently NRH is facing drug and medical supplies shortage, forcing the hospital to operate on an emergency mode once more.
“At the moment, this is one of a big problem with the stock out. As we speak, at the moment we going to go into emergency mode again.
“So the operation theater will only response to emergencies such as caesarean cases.
“I think that’s the key fact with the out-of-stock supply,” he said.
During his presentation, he added, that in terms of supply and services, in 2025 they would like to have a proper quantification on the demand for the service, and want to ensure they monitor their stock availability so that it could stay above 85%.
“That is always the target. At the moment we will go down to 60% or 70% so this will be impacting on our services and the mechanisms to improve demand quantification, safety and security to the targeted diseases mentioned (above),” he added.
Meanwhile, a source from NRH said, limited drugs and shortage of items like drugs, plasters and other essential supplies is now affecting service delivery at the country’s top hospital.
“Now we are using elastic bandage. Even the urinary bags are out of stock as well.”
Most of the much-needed antibiotics required by patient are also out of stock as well, the source added.
At the NRH’s emergency department some of the drugs like Ampicillin, cloxallin, albendazole, pregnancy test, adrenaline, panadeine, zinc sulphate, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone are either in low supply and out of the stock.
And because of that over the past months supplies and drugs have to be rationed under strict guidelines, it was revealed.
“This means pharmacy can only dispense medicine for in patient or admitted patient via a treatment chart.
“Some most of the drugs like malaria tables can only be dispensed under strict guidelines
“And to order these drugs every day is a challenge,” the source added.
The source described the situation as ‘a new normal now’ while expressing deep concern for the welfare of the sick patients.
The source further added, most of the patients are now forced to pay for their own drugs at private pharmacies which is now adding financial pressure on the sick patients and their relatives.
“Doctors and nurses would provide them with prescriptions and drug would have to be sought from private pharmacies in Honiara,” the source said.
Most of the Honiara city council (HCC) operated clinics are also affected with limited drug and essential supplies.
Meanwhile, an official from the national medical drug store claimed, some drug stocks and supplies are expected to arrive in the country soon.
He could not reveal how soon the supplies will be discharged from Ports and distributed to all the health centres.
In the provinces, the situation is desperate as most health centres are running low of essential medical supplies, it was revealed.
The Ministry of Health this morning issued a statement confirming the Operating Theatre at NRH has gone into emergency mode, meaning services have scaled down due to shortage of consumables and anaesthetic drugs used for operating patients.
At the same time, services within other departments within NRH remain normal.
“The Operating theatre will now only deal with emergency, caesarean births and life-threatening cases, until there is enough medication available. The decision was made this week following a meeting between hospital authorities and the MHMS executive,” the MHMS issued statement said.
By MOFFAT MAMU & RAYMOND HULANGA
Solomon Star, Honiara.
