Working
together with Msitu wa Tembo dispensary is giving us the chance to understand
better the problems that patients and health professionals have to face. One of
the big issues is lack of medicines supplies. Both Isa and I spent time in the
pharmacy of the dispensary, where the medicines advised by the doctor should be
given without extra cost, apart from the TSH 2000 (€ 1) that patients pay for
the consultation. We could see that many of them are not available and patients
have to buy them in another place.
So, where
is the problem? Why medicines at the dispensary aren’t enough? For answering these
questions, first is understanding how the system works, or how it should normally
work.
It seems it
works like this: dispensary reports monthly the necessary medicines, to the
District Medical Office (in Orkesment, capital of District of Simanjiro). They
send the order to Medical Stores Department, an autonomous department of
Tanzanian ministry of health. MSD sends the medicines straight to Msitu Wa
Tembo dispensary.
There we
were, heading Orkesment, in the middle of 5-hour dirt road drive. It was not
what I expected from the capital of the District… We got the opportunity to
talk to the District Medical Officer, a young doctor who spent as much time as
necessary answering all our questions.
Even though
each one blames the other part, we have identified an action that may work for
improving the supplies: improving the reports sent by the dispensary. This is
one of the objectives we can try to address during these weeks.
Actually, this
planning activity has taken much time during last days. It is not that easy to
set realistic goals, give a timeframe, and think about the necessary resources.
There is always a lot to rethink about when you get to know more about the
problems you want to address.
During this
week, Isa had also time to prepare carefully her seminar on maternal health
care for the next week. She will tell us soon! Conditions and timetable for the
health promotion group were set up on Saturday 5th of July, and
seminars would start on following Tuesday.
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