Ghc237m lost in Central Medical Stores inferno-CMS fire disaster: Ghana has 3 months drug supply cover

Source: myjoyonline.com  -  Ghana’s stock of medical supplies lost after fire completely ravaged the Central Medical Stores in Tema has been estimated to be over Ghc237million.

The figure Ghc237, 798, 707, was arrived at after program managers at the Health Ministry met Wednesday afternoon to conduct an assessment of the loss.

The Central Medical Stores at Tema is an uninsured warehouse containing every conceivable drug imported into the country. It stocks drugs for deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and Ebola.

But fire lasting 32 hours has reduced the highly important national asset to a pile of black powder and billows of smoke. The combustible chemicals and drugs are re-igniting the fire which began Tuesday morning.

Harmattan weather is not making things any easier.

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CMS fire disaster: Ghana has 3 months drug supply cover

Source: myjoyonline.com  -  Following the total destruction of Ghana's largest drug supply center yesterday, it has been revealed that the country's drug supply cover can only last for three months. According to the Health Minister, Dr. Kwaku Agyemang Mensah, the pharmaceutical needs of the country will be taken care of by the Regional Medical Stores for the next two to three months.

Fire ravaged the Central Medical Stores(CMS) at Tema Heavy Industrial Area on Monday morning and defied firefighters for 24 hours. It was brought under control Tuesday.

The CMS now no longer physically exists. Every single drug – condoms and Ebola medications -were destroyed. Medical facilities such as hospital beds were not spared. Arson has been mooted as a possible cause.

The Health Ministry is counting the losses and assessing the extent of the damage. Full knowledge of the loss is expected to be announced .

Government will be contacting local pharmaceutical suppliers and international drug supply chain to ship in new drug consignments and other medical supplies after the losses have been determined.

The country's 206 districts are now expected to rely on the 10 Regional Medical Stores for drugs. But Ghanaians can heave a sigh of relief at least for the next three months.