No shortage of medical drugs in Trinidad & Tobago, health ministry denies claims of Newsday Newspaper

Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Health lambasted the claims made in the Newsday Newspaper report that the island country is witnessing a shortage of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical items in the public health sector at the present time.

Trinidad and Tobago Health Minister.

Port of Spain: Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Health lambasted the claims made in the Newsday Newspaper report that the island country is witnessing a shortage of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical items in the public health sector at the present time. The health ministry issued the statement in a press release denying the claims made in the report of January 16, 2022.

As per the report of the Newsday Newspaper, the public health sector faces a shortage of medical drugs, such as – Methylprednisolone, Potassium Chloride injections, Oxytocin injections, Nimbex, Liquid Prednisolone, Actemra, Adrenaline injections, Reagents to run tests, Aerobic and anaerobic blood culture bottles, and Buscopna.

Meanwhile, the health ministry underscored, CoAprovel and Bisolvin liquid are not being procured for use in public health sector, & there are adequate supplies of the alternative medications utilized.

With this, the Ministry of Health, in its issued statement, assuring the general public emphasized that it continues to monitor this key area of the operations and that it remains committed to the provide the finest healthcare to the population of the island country.

Newsday Newspaper in its report asserted, “President of Pharmacy Board Andrew Rahaman told the Sunday Newsday since beginning of the pandemic in the year of 2020, there have been problems with shipping of raw materials to the manufacturers, factories closing or not operating at 100 percent, and shipping delays in supplies”.

“He said in T&T there is a shortage of – methylprednisolone (a steroid that relieves inflammation & is approved by the World Health Organization – WHO for the treatment of covid-19, as well as a few other drugs,” the report further adds.

According to the report, Rahaman also calls on the government of Trinidad and Tobago to obtain methylprednisolone, adding, although the Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley led-administration is utilizing another type of WHO-approved steroid.

“I want what is best for our residents, and methylprednisolone is the first-line treatment. We may be using something which is WHO-approved, but our death rate is high and increasing. I think it is possible that lack of methylprednisolone is contributing to it because, just like – antibiotics, one might work well for one individual but may not work at all for another,” statement of Rahaman as per to the report of Newsday Newspaper.

Read full report at – https://newsday.co.tt/2022/01/16/medical-drug-supply-shortage-hits-trinidad-and-tobago/.