when the multiplicity of private health structures poses problems – 2024-07-26 12:36:26 – 2024-07-26 12:36:28

The Ministry of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS has decided to suspend applications for authorization to open private health facilities, as irregularities have been observed in their regulation. Non-compliance with current standards and the country’s health coverage extension plan are some of the shortcomings observed in private health facilities.

« New applications for authorization to open private structures to the public: wholesale and retail pharmacies, health centers and medical centers, optical centers and medical analysis laboratories and paramedical schools are suspended until further notice. “, announced Dr. Lidwine Baradahana, the Minister of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS in a press release released on July 23, 2024.

Minister Baradana castigates a large number of private health establishments which do not comply with the regulations in force. There is a surplus of these structures which greatly exceeds the needs of the country, an anarchic implantation of the latter and many structures are fraudulent in addition to the non-compliance with the standards in force. “, she laments before indicating that the plan to extend health coverage is not being respected”

The Ministry responsible for health claims that it has observed multifaceted speculations relating to the sale and transfer of healthcare facilities whose documents are fraudulent. A phenomenon that makes the management and regulation of the pharmaceutical sector tedious. Consequently, there is a proliferation of substandard drugs, poor quality care provided in health facilities and an insufficient workforce in the paramedical sector to ensure quality provision.

To address these challenges, Minister Baradahana indicates that from now on ” Only files whose applications were registered with the ministry responsible for health before this measure of suspension of the application for authorization to open a health structure was taken will benefit from processing in accordance with the accreditation standards and the health coverage extension plan in force.

In this press release, she called on the medical directors of the health provinces to postpone the processing of new applications for authorization to open pharmacies, optical centers, health centers and medical centers, laboratories and paramedical schools.

Other measures taken concern in particular the request for renewal of the authorization to open a private structure to the public. This time, the promoter or the person duly mandated by the latter by a notarial deed is the only one authorized to submit this request to the technical services of the Ministry of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS.

In addition, applications for authorization to transfer the operation of pharmacies and other health establishments have been suspended. Wholesale or retail pharmacies whose renewal applications have never been submitted in accordance with the standards in force are in an irregular situation and are therefore closed to the public.” concluded Minister Baradahana.

The Ministry of Public Health hopes that these measures will help protect the population, provide them with quality health care and strengthen the regulation of the pharmaceutical sector and drug control. Perhaps they will also help regulate health facilities, laboratories and optical and medical centers. However, in previous years, similar decisions were taken but they remained a dead letter.