BY SAMIE WAIKORI
The recent increase in the budget for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has helped address longstanding issues of medical supplies and drug security, which have plagued the country for years.
Minister for Health, Dr Paul Popora Bosawai, highlighted this during the Sine Die Motion in parliament this week, admitting that these challenges have had a significant impact on the country’s citizens.
“The challenges of medical supplies and drug security have long affected our people. With the increased budget for 2025, these issues have eased significantly, including the repayment of major outstanding bills,” Bosawai said.
He also acknowledged that there is more work left to be done.
“We are addressing bottlenecks in procurement, payment, storage, and distribution to ensure that medicine reaches all facilities on time and to eliminate stockpiles,” he explained.
Bosawai added that the Ministry’s finance team, along with the National Medical Store, is closely collaborating with the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, as well as partners, to resolve longstanding issues.
“These are shared responsibilities, and we will continue to strengthen our systems to ensure that no citizen is left without essential medicines,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister praised the efforts of the Ministry, alongside donor partners, in improving the country’s health services.
He noted that earlier this year, more than 25 senior clinicians and executives from the Ministry completed clinical governance training, earning international certification.
Bosawai called this achievement a major step towards improving the standard of care, accountability, and patient safety, both at the National Referral Hospital and nationwide.
“It equips our clinical leaders with the skills and systems needed to drive continuous quality improvement and reinforces our commitment to delivering safer, more reliable health services for all Solomon Islanders,” he said.
The Minister also assured the public of the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to improving healthcare services across the country.
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