Mambwe District Director of Health Services, Luwi Kawanda, has reported that the district currently stands at 88 percent drug availability, with all essential medicines, including antibiotics and antimalarials, adequately stocked at the district level.

Dr Kawanda explained that the remaining 12 percent gap was attributed to health facilities in hard-to-reach areas that were yet to receive their consignments.

“Due to the challenging geographical terrain, some crossing points remain flooded and certain facilities can only be accessed by boat. This has delayed distribution to a few sites,” she noted.

She assured that the district had sufficient stock on hand and was only awaiting delivery to the affected facilities.

Dr Kawanda said that to mitigate the impact of these logistical challenges, facilities in hard-to-reach areas were pre-supplied with adequate buffer stocks to cover potential delays.

She emphasised that the district expects last-mile distribution of regular orders from the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) soon, which will further strengthen availability and ensure that all facilities are fully stocked.