Resistant Tuberculosis Expert Discusses the Status of Tuberculosis Medicines and Stores in NMSF – Khartoum
Khartoum /The Citizen
As part of efforts to assess the situation of pharmaceutical supplies following the extensive damage to infrastructure during the war, resistant tuberculosis expert Dr. Sabira Tahsin paid a field visit to the National Medical Supplies Fund – Khartoum’s Pivotal/Regional Room.
The visit aimed to determine the status of drug-resistant tuberculosis and tuberculosis drugs, assess the readiness of warehouses, the supply chain, and the cold chain, in addition to reviewing the requirements of laboratories related to the diagnosis and follow-up of tuberculosis.
The expert received a comprehensive briefing from Ahmed Omar Mohamed Saleh, Director of the Pivot Room in Khartoum, on the extent of the damage suffered by the NMSF, which included the loss of a strategic stock of medicines, the destruction of a large number of warehouses, and the disruption of electricity and refrigeration and refrigerated transportation systems, and the impact on the availability and distribution of tuberculosis and resistant tuberculosis medicines.
The visit included a field tour of a number of damaged and destroyed warehouses, where the expert was closely briefed on the extent of the damage to buildings, warehouse roofs, electrical systems, generators, central air conditioning systems, and electric forklifts, in addition to the damage to administrative offices.
They also reviewed the ongoing efforts for reconstruction and rehabilitation, where it was clarified that the Fund has already started rehabilitation, and 10 of the 22 warehouses have been maintained, in addition to the rehabilitation of the administrative building, while work continues to complete the electricity connection and the installation of cooling systems in preparation for the restoration of full operation.
The visit stressed the importance of supporting international partners in rebuilding the pharmaceutical supply chain, especially with regard to tuberculosis and tuberculosis medicines, cold chain equipment, and laboratory requirements, in order to ensure the continuity of health services and the protection of patients in light of the exceptional circumstances that the country is going through.
This visit comes in the context of strengthening technical coordination and international support for TB control programs in Sudan, and supporting the efforts of the National Medical Supplies Fund in recovery and reconstruction.