LIVES of patients suffering from hypertension and high blood pressure in the Western Provincial Capital and those in the province relying on the Gizo Hospital Pharmacy for their supply of Simvastatin and Enalapril are at risk as these two vital drugs are out of stock.
The two drugs are necessary for the treatment of patients with cardiovascular issues, especially with high blood pressure and are at risk to stroke.
The drugs are important for the relaxation of blood vessels to lower blood pressure and increase the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart.
A patient who was issued a prescription for the two drugs last week was informed of the shortage by the Gizo Hospital Pharmacy. As a result, the patient was only issued Panadols.
A visit by Solomon Star to the Gizo Pharmacy confirmed the shortage.
“Both Simvastatin and Enalapril are currently out of stock,” a Pharmacist said.
This is not the first time Gizo Pharmacy is experiencing the shortage of these drugs.
Few months ago, only Enalapril was available.
Some of the patients have been forced to get these two drugs, Simvastatin and Enalapril from Honiara.
Meanwhile, most rural clinics and health centres in the provinces are also experiencing general drug shortage.
The National Referral Hospital has also experienced a shortage in medical consumables since the past few weeks.
The lack of medical consumables left the operating theatre at NRH in an Emergency Mode.
The NRH management said the gauze and medical consumables were in low supply, hence available limited stock is rationed and kept for emergency operations only.
A statement from the Ministry of Health and Medical Service said it is the hospital’s standard operation procedures to reduce services due to low medical supplies, including consumables.
Supplies were expected to be replenished this Thursday.
By MOFFAT MAMU
