The lack of drugs has been felt in recent months in many hospitals and pharmacies in rural or semi-urban areas. This situation has plunged many patients into uncertainty. They went from one hospital to another or from one pharmacy to another with the hope of finding the sesame. A malaise noted by parliamentarians in oral session last Friday at the homily of the lower house of parliament in the presence of the Minister of Public Health, Manaouda Malachi.
According to the member of the government, the National Centre for the Supply of Medicines and Essential Medical Consumables (CENAME) has experienced difficulties related to certain constraints at the global level, particularly with Covid 19. “The CENAME is struggling to get back on track. At the level of the first department, there is a committee that has been set up for restructuring and recapitulation…. This situation is gradually returning to normal.”
According to Manaouda Malachi: “Special endowments will give CENAMEe a new lease of life. It will have to have regional funds for health promotion at the regional level that are currently the subject of reflection at the level of our departmental department”.
The new approach to care would like to reduce the direct payment of care by households for access to essential care. This is also one of the objectives of Universal Health Coverage (CSU), phase 1 of which was launched on April 12, 2023. To date, more than 2,000 people have already been enrolled.
A financial health to be redone
In addition to the operational panel, the financial health of this public institution is a concern. Indeed, the State and its dismemberment are paradoxically serious obstacles to achieving this objective. This is reflected in the report on the situation of companies and public institutions as of December 31, 2021, made public by the Commission de Réhabilitation des Entreprises (CTR).
According to this document, which sets out the financial health of companies and public institutions under the State portfolio, CENAME had a difficult year 2021, marked by the cessation of deliveries of medicines ordered from foreign suppliers. The main reason for this breakdown of collaboration is the accumulation of unpaid invoices totalling FCFA 14.6 billion as of December 31, 2021.
The CTR also notes a decrease in the own resources of this state structure, resulting mainly from the sale of drugs. A regression estimated at -66% compared to fiscal year 2019 and -48% compared to 2020. This is another important aspect that the government must consider for the viability of this public entity
