The government is introducing a new digital system to track medicines and prescriptions in real time. The goal of this system is to stop patients in public hospitals from being referred to private pharmacies to acquire medicines that are actually free.
The government, through its Digital Health Agency (DHA), has developed this system. Health CS Aden Duale says that through this system, patients will be able to access their medicines directly from the hospitals. In case a hospital fails to give out medicines to patients, it will be rejected by the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The new system will track all the medicines and treatments given to patients in real time. Hospitals that fail to give out medicines to patients will not be paid, according to Health CS Aden Duale.
The new system aims to dismantle powerful networks that have been sending patients to private pharmacies to acquire medicines while they can actually access free medicines in public hospitals. “Patients will not be sent to acquire drugs elsewhere while there are drugs in public hospitals,” CS Duale noted. “The system also makes it hard to manipulate since it tracks each drug and prescription.”
The new system is a cornerstone of major reforms aimed at protecting patients while enhancing accountability and trust in public healthcare systems. In addition to that, it will help reduce cases of fraud, medicine wastage, and ensure public funds are used correctly.
The new system’s introduction into public healthcare systems means that there will be greater transparency in service delivery while providing a quicker and safer route to access medicines prescribed by doctors in public hospitals all over the country.