By: R. Joe K. Fineboy |
A potential health crisis is imminent in the rural parts of Liberia if nothing is speedily done to control or mitigate the prevalence of expired medicines on the local markets. Most of the drugs are being sold by especially street venders and are either expired or almost have reached the expiry dates This grave situation is being bred by the fact of low or absolute lack of medical supplies at several Health Centers in those rural parts, especially southeastern Liberia where the counties are literally cut off from the rest of the country due to bad roads.
Citizens in those parts of the country who are seeking medical solutions to their problems are left with little or no option but to settle for drugs that are available, which are usually expired. GNN Reporter who is currently visiting the southeastern county of Sinoe says the situation is even graver in communities that are in long distance from the capital, Greenville.
been investigating this situation Sinoe County, not far from the Juazon Health Center, has established that citizens in the area, especially distance places from Greenville, the capital city of Sinoe are compared to buy or Walk away with any medicated drug with the intent to medicate their health concern but unfortunately for them some of these medicines are either expired or close to expiration date.
Our reporter’s investigation revealed that the major and most accessible means of getting medicines or accessing ordinary home medicines is from those selling it around in buckets or sometimes on market tables in the same way other dried consumable goods are being sold. Unfortunately, according to citizens interviewed by our reporter, even people who go to the few available medical centers for treatment are usually given prescription by the nurses to go and buy their medicine from street vender as the shelves at those medical centers are empty and without medical supplies.
According to our reporter, the citizens lamented the situation and are calling on national government to look into the situation and give more attention to hard to reach counties, apart from Monrovia and the capitals of other counties.
Speaking with health workers in the area, some said they are managing and working with what is given to them by the local county health officers; citing that when they are supplied with medicine, it usually takes a long time for them to receive supplies again.
With the mounting concern about expired or nearly expired drugs, a health practitioners in the area said besides what is available and given to patients at the health facilities, there are individuals who also sell drugs and some of these drugs sellers are not educated enough to know the implications of improper health services. He added that unfortunately most of the patients are not educated and cannot read. She further disclosed that at times patients leaving the clinic with no medicine accept prescriptions and will buy anything medicine they can find to ease their medical need. A health worker who spoke with GNN reporter referred to the situation as embarrassing for them, health workers, and unhealthy for patients.
