Harare,  (New Ziana) -The Ministry of Health and Child Care has urged Treasury to disburse budgetary allocations timeously to enable it to procure essential medicines for distribution throughout the country.

Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Sleiman Kwidini told the National Assembly that while the government has made progress in improving drug distribution to health facilities, financial constraints remain a major challenge.

He explained that the Ministry is currently relying on the “last mile delivery” system, which ensures that medicines reach clinics in remote areas, adding however that the quantities delivered have not been sufficient to meet national demand due to inadequate funding.

“It is my plea in this august House that we push for early disbursement of funds by the relevant Ministry to enable us to buy enough drugs at once,” he said.

Kwidini urged legislators to support his Ministry during upcoming budget discussions to ensure timely release of funds for all government departments, thereby improving service delivery across sectors.

He also highlighted ongoing challenges in the procurement of medicines and medical equipment, saying although the government prefers to procure directly from manufacturers to reduce costs, stringent local procurement procedures have deterred some suppliers from participating in tenders.

“Some of these manufacturers or producers are not interested in coming in because some of the requisitions which are needed when doing the procurement here locally do not compete in those bidding tenders,” he said.

Kwidini added that the government is working to streamline procurement processes to facilitate direct purchases from international suppliers where necessary.

He reaffirmed government commitment to ensure that all health facilities have access to adequate medicines and equipment.

New Ziana