Health “disaster” looms over gutted drug storage - GHS

Ghana is going to run short of medicine at the various hospitals following a fire outbreak at the Central Medical Stores in Tema, the Ghana Health Service has warned.

The Director General of the GHS, Dr. Appiah Denkyira, described the situation as a “disaster” as the biggest drugs supply and distribution center caught fire Tuesday morning.

He said although they are yet to assess the extent of damage at the scene, it will certainly have an awful effect on drug supply in Ghana.

“There are all sorts of drugs there from malaria, tuberculosis, medications, hospital items, beds. It is going to be a disaster because now our daily consumption, we will not be able to get it,” Dr Denkyira told Accra-based Joy FM.

“What it means is that we are going to run short of medications at facilities because that is the place where we store all on [consumables]. The only hope is we have stock at the regions so we will fall on that”.

The Ghana National Fire Service is yet to ascertain the cause of the fire. The Central Medical Stores at the Tema Heavy Industrial Area is the main distribution outlet in the West African country. It also serves as a depot for World Health Organisation's supplies.