By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
PUBLIC Hospitals Authority Managing Director Aubynette Rolle said there is a shortage of cancer drugs in the country, but alternative medicines are being used.
“We do have some of the oncolytic or the drugs that are used for cancer patients that we do not have, but we were able to get some of the alternative drugs to be utilized until we are able to access,” she told reporters.
According to international reports, the United States is facing a shortage of drugs, putting patients’ care at risk.
Ms Rolle also noted that officials are trying to address the shortage of nurses in the country, with Ghanaian nurses joining the workforce in a few days.
“We’ve done incentives and trying to improve infrastructure, also salaries, also just talking with the nurses on the retention side of things as it relates to recruitment,” she said.
“We are expecting some Ghanaian nurses in the next few days, also some nurses from the Philippines. As recent as last night, India also reached out to me as well, and so we’re going to use some of our recruiting companies to see whether we can get some of those persons in the country.”
“We are also doing research so that we can really hear from the nurses what’s going on, especially the newer nurses, so we’re looking at things to facilitate, as well as the barriers to the retention of nurses within the country.”
Ms Rolle said officials will do their due diligence to ensure language barriers do not hinder patients’ quality of care.
