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The government has released GH¢25 million to the Ministry of Health for the purchase of drugs and equipment to replace the ones which were destroyed by fire at the Central Medical Stores in Tema last month.

The move is part of measures by the government to safeguard the health of the public and keep the health system running effectively.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the ministry, Mr Tony Goodman, it required at least GH¢75 million to replace the drugs which were destroyed by the fire.

That estimation, he said, was based on a quantification exercise carried out by the Ministry of Health to ascertain the actual amount and cost of drugs required to keep the health system running effectively.

With the release of the GH¢25 million by the government, the ministry now requires an additional GH¢50 million to make up the difference. 

On January 13, fire ravaged the Central Medical Stores in Tema, destroying medical supplies worth millions of cedis.

Appeal

“The ministry is currently holding discussions with its development partners, appealing to them to provide the remaining GH¢50 million,” Mr Goodman said.

He said some drugs which had also been imported but had not arrived at the time of the fire outbreak had arrived safely and been stocked in the ministry’s temporary warehouse.

Mr Goodman commended the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana for donating drugs worth thousands of cedis to the ministry as part of their support. 

He said the government and the ministry in collaboration with their partners were committed to ensuring the provision of all requisite drugs to safeguard the health of the public and keep the health system running efficiently.