Pharmacy Chamber adopts cash-and-carry

The Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana has stopped the supply of medicines on credit to all health facilities under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), effective August 1.

This is because all the health facilities owe members of the Chamber for more than two months. This signifies possible medicine shortage in the affected hospitals, and patients risk not being supplied medicines when they seek medical care at various hospitals across the country.

According to the Chamber, supply of medicines to any health facility shall be on cash basis only, except where the facility/institution is in arrears not exceeding two months.

A letter from the Chamber copied to nine institutions associated with the health sector, including the Ministry of Health, said: “We wish to state that pursuant to an earlier notice issued through the media and agreement arrived between members at a regular meeting, effective, 1st August, 2014, all members of the Chamber shall not supply any medicines on credit to any facility or health institution that is in arrears beyond two months.”

The statement said the Chamber noted with grave worry the consistent delays in reimbursement for medicines supplied by members and has on a number of occasions drawn the government’s, stakeholders’ and Ghanaians’ attention to the potential risk these delays have on the liquidity and survival of members of the Chamber.

It noted that the rather long delay in health insurance reimbursement has made it difficult for many facilities and institutions across the country to honour their medicine payment obligations. According to the statement, “this regrettable decision has been taken to forestall further loss of capital in the wake of rising operational costs, unstable forex fluctuations and the dire consequences these could have if nothing is done to reverse the situation.”

Once again, the Chamber called on the government to immediately impress upon the requisite agencies and stakeholders to intervene to avert any further serious or untoward impact on the health system in the country.

The Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana is the umbrella body of key pharmaceutical manufacturing, importing, distributing, wholesale and retailing companies in Ghana.

The Chamber seeks to pursue the collective interests of both its members and the health and safety of the populace through research, advocacy and collaboration.