Clarification for Public Opinion on the Drug Crisis in Khartoum State

The Citizen/

The past few days have witnessed a wide debate on social media platforms regarding the drug crisis and its repercussions, as accusations spread that the National Medical Supplies Fund is hiding medicines with the intention of harming patients. In addition, there have been complaints about the lack of some vital items, such as pendulum solutions, and their unprecedented price increases, as well as the absence of medicine from the circular medicine pharmacies in Khartoum State.

In order to remove confusion and enlighten public opinion, we clarify the following facts:

First of all,

The National Medical Supplies Fund is responsible for managing the national supply system of medicines at the level of Sudan. The Fund provides wholesale medicines centrally and distributes them to its branches in the states, which in turn dispense medicines to patients in health facilities in accordance with the decentralized national health policy With the aim of achieving equity in the distribution of pharmaceutical services throughout the country,

secondly,

Khartoum State relies on the Circular Medicine Fund, an institution independent of the National Medical Supplies Fund

for the provision and distribution of medicines in its health facilities. Consequently, the responsibility for providing medicines to government hospitals within Khartoum—whether free or at value—lies exclusively with the Circular Medicine Fund.

Thirdly,

prior to the outbreak of the war, the

National Fund for Medical Supplies, made efforts in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Khartoum State Government to regulate the provision of pharmaceutical services in accordance with the National Health Policy. This included the signing of a partnership with the Circular Medicine Fund in Khartoum State, under which the pharmacies that were managed by the National Fund within the state were handed over to the Circular Medicine Fund In its capacity as the competent authority, the Governor of Khartoum State also took a number of essential reform measures aimed at mobilizing efforts and rationalizing resources by unifying pharmaceutical supply systems and reducing the cost of centralized procurement, provided that the Circular Drug Fund bears the responsibility of providing services in the state. This step was supported by the Federal Minister of Health and the Governor of Khartoum State, who affirmed their commitment to advancing efforts to develop the system and integrate the Circular Medicine Fund into the National Medical Supply Fund system.

Future Vision:

The unification of the pharmaceutical supply system represents a glimmer of hope for achieving stability and alleviating the suffering of patients. This means:

– Drug abundance in government pharmacies.

– Reducing the cost through the unified purchase from the National Fund.

– Restoring citizens’ trust in health institutions and ending the doubts that harm them.

Conclusion:

What is needed today is community solidarity and a strong institutional will to overcome the crisis. Medicine is a human right that is not managed by the logic of profit and loss, but by the logic of duty and responsibility towards the citizen.