By Wezzie Gausi
Government has admitted that mounting debts and past funding gaps have choked operations at the Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST), pushing the institution to the brink of collapse.
Minister of Health Madalitso Baloyi told Parliament that CMST went for months without funding, crippling its ability to procure and supply essential medicines.
She said that between April and September 2025, no payments were made to the institution, resulting in the accumulation of arrears to suppliers.
“As a result, Central Medical Stores Trust was almost at collapse,” she said.
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Baloyi said erratic funding to district health offices over the years has worsened the situation, with CMST sometimes going up to three months without receiving resources.
Contributing to the debate, Salima Central West legislator Enock Phale warned that failure to settle debts owed to CMST risks forcing government into a bailout.
“The money will give life to CMST. Otherwise, if payments are not made in time, we will be talking about bailing it out,” Phale said.
He added that hospitals that obtained medical supplies must take responsibility for settling their debts to sustain the supply chain.
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Parliamentary Committee on Health chairperson Anthony Masamba also said the situation reflects broader systemic weaknesses in the health sector.
Masamba warned that without a stable and well-funded supply system, essential medicines will continue to be unavailable in public health facilities.
“If CMST is under-capacitated, medicines and essential supplies will not reach facilities on time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Baloyi said government has moved to stabilise the situation by restoring funding for medicines and prioritising payments to CMST.
“We have refunded the money earmarked for drugs and medicines to make sure there is no gap when it comes to financing,” she said.
