Fondation Hirondelle

Five pregnant women on Wednesday, August 18 complained that they were left unattended because of shortage of drugs at the Njagbwema Peripheral Health Unit (PHU) in the Faima Chiefdom, Kono District.

The women told CTN that they were dissatisfied with the way the Free Health Care Scheme was being implemented in their chiefdom.

They said they had been visiting the health centre for treatment but could not be treated. They said they had to work over three miles from their villages to the clinic.

The nurse in charge of the Njagbwema Peripheral Health Unit, Kumba Moiwa said the clinic had been without drugs for over three weeks. She said they had not received any supply from the Koidu Government Hospital.

“Drug peddlers and traditional birth attendants were taking advantage of the situation,” Kumba told CTN.

She added that the clinic’s refrigerator used for the storage of vaccines and the only motorbike had broken down.

The District Medical Officer in Kono, Dr. Samuel Keitel said “there are enough drugs in their stores meant for the free health care scheme.”

He blamed the Maternal and Child Health Aide in-charge for failing to report promptly for the supply of the drugs.

Dr. Keitel said they had started the distributions of drugs to all 74 Peripheral Health Units in the district.