The Health Ministry yesterday said it had started addressing the “mammoth” task of solving the perennial problem of out-of-stock medicines.
But it will take a considerable time as a revamp of the whole system is needed.
Reacting to a report by the Commissioner for Health, published last week, the Health Ministry said it has already conducted its own study on what needs to be done.
It has requested a private firm - RSM Malta Consulting Ltd – to make an independent audit.
Agreeing with the recommendations of the Ombudsman’s office, the Health Ministry said it is “engaged in an internal discussion with all concerned and at all levels of management, which will also include public consultation, to implement short, medium and long-term changes”.
In a reply to the report, compiled by Commissioner for Health Charles Messina, the ministry said that although the challenge is significant, certain measures can be feasibly implemented quickly.
“A vigilant checking of stock levels and expiry dates of medicines as well as ward checks has already been initiated but more staff would be required to implement these across all points,” it said.
The ministry said introducing a stock and inventory control system had been given a high priority because stocks could be monitored accurately in real time and included automated auditing and accountability.
In its report, the Ombudsman’s office identified a raft of problems stifling the free medicines procurement and distribution system, ranging from a 10-month tendering process to manual stocktaking, lack of funds and bad prescribing habits by doctors.
Currently, some 1,300 different medicines are distributed free of charge at hospitals and to tens of thousands of outpatients, costing the Government more than €70 million a year.
However, according to the Ombudsman’s office, the stocktaking situation is almost out of control as there is no central IT system that monitors stock levels on a regular basis.
The report also notes that through the introduction of the Pharmacy of Your Choice (POYC) system, the situation of out-of-stock medicine worsened as stocktaking became almost impossible.
The Health Ministry admitted the increased problems with the POYC system and added that an increase in the number of medical conditions entitled for free medicines – introduced in 2012 – is also complicating matters.
Through these latest changes, conditions entitled to free medicines increased from 38 to 79.