KINGSTON, Jamaica – As part of efforts to address the issues of shortage of pharmaceuticals at some public health facilities, Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson says the ministry has started the implementation of a pharmacy management information system which will help to track items, their availability, and expiration date as well as order levels.

He says this will increase the efficiency of the management of drugs throughout the public health sector.

“This system will afford us a national picture and allow for the movement of drugs from one facility to another as required or the movement of drugs to places where utilisation is greater thereby reducing wastage and spoilage,” Dr Ferguson said.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Health will be spending a total of J$8 billion to procure pharmaceuticals, sundries and reagents for the public health sector. Contracts were signed last week with 47 suppliers to increase the supply of pharmaceuticals and sundries by J$3.8 billion to the public health sector. In addition, three contracts valuing a total of US$1,487,580.18 to suppliers for the University Hospital of the West Indies were signed in July.

“This is an initial procurement as we expect to spend close to J$6 billion on pharmaceuticals and sundries and J$2 billion on reagents in this financial year alone,” Dr Ferguson said.