The Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) has disclosed that it is being owed money amounting to over K40 billion by public hospitals across the country.
Due to the delay, the trust says it is owing its suppliers over K20 billion as of January this year.
CMST Director of Pharmaceutical Operations Geoffrey Ngwira disclosed this on Tuesday in Mzuzu City, where Deputy Minister of Health Noah Chimpeni visited the trust’s Mzuzu warehouse.
He said, for instance, that the total drug budget for hospitals was K8.4 billion against the allocated K7.1 billion, representing 120 percent budget drawdown.
Ngwira said despite the debt, they had adequate stocks of drugs, enough to cover 72 percent of hospitals’ needs.
In 2023, the rate was 45 percent.
He attributed the 72 percent feat to recapitalisation of up to K25 billion by the government and partners such as the World Bank.
“We have a capital that we normally circulate and as a revolving fund, we have enough money. The trouble is that the money is not with Central Medical Stores because health facilities are still owing us a lot of money. And sooner or later, if we do not get the funds in time, we may face.
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