Tonga’s National Drugs and Medical Supplies Committee (NDMSC) met on Wednesday after concerns over late arrival of shipment of some diabetes drugs in the kingdom.

The shipment of nifedipine drugs was behind schedule.

Nifedipine is a medication used to treat angina and high blood pressure.

The meeting confirmed there was “a range of other stock options to ensure continued supply” of these drugs, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Health told Kaniva News.

It said the hospital’s pharmacies “have lots of amlodipine in stock which can easily replace nifedipine”.

The meeting was told other diabetes drugs that had been run out such as metformin “are already in stock”.

Metformin is used to treat type 2 diabetes.

The Ministry denied reports on local media that the supply shortage could continue until July when the government’s new budget approved.

“That does not make sense and the Ministry has already had other options in place and it can reorder the stock to be sent by plane if the ship arrival will take longer than expected”, the spokesperson said.

NDMSC said they “have advised pharmacy people to advise media and clinicians of situation of drugs in stock”.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Naʻe fakataha he Pulelulú ʻa e Kōmiti Fakafonua ʻa Tonga ki he Faitoʻó mo hono Hū Maí hili ia e tokanga ki he tōmui e tau atu ki Tonga ʻa e uta ʻo e niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi foʻiʻakau ki he suka mo e toto māʻolungá.

    Kuo ʻikai tūʻuta ki Tonga ʻa e uta foʻiʻakau nifedipine ʻo hangē ko hono taimi ne toka ki ai ʻa e ʻamanakí.

    Ne fakapapauʻi he fakataha ko ʻení ʻoku ʻi ai pe ʻa e ngaahi founga kehe ke ngāueʻaki ke maʻu taimi tonu pe foʻiʻakaú ʻo ka nounou, ko hano fakahā ʻeni ki he Kanivá ʻe ha matāpule mei he Potungāue Moʻuí.

    Ne ne pehē ʻoku kei toe lahi pe ngaahi foʻiʻakau amlodipine ʻa ia ʻe lava pe ia ʻo fetongiʻaki ʻa e nifedipine.

    Ko e nifedipine ko e foʻi ʻakau ia ki hono faitoʻo ʻo e toto māʻolungá mo e ngako he halangatotó.

    Ne fakahā ki he fakatahá ko e ngaahi foʻiʻakau kehe hangē ko e metformin kuo ʻosi maʻu pea ʻoku huluʻānoa pe ia.

    Ko e metformin ko e foʻi ʻakau ia ki hono faitoʻo ʻo e suka taipe uá.

    Kuo fakahalaki ʻe he Potungāué ʻa e līpooti he mītiá ʻo pehē ʻoku ʻi ai ʻoku nonou ʻa e ngaahi fakafoʻiʻakau ni ʻi fale mahakí pea ʻe aʻu tokua ia ki Siulai pea toki maʻu ha foʻiʻakau ʻi hano tali e patiseti foʻou ʻa e puleʻangá.