Pharmaceutical Society of Malawi (Phasom) has called on the government to involve the society in the drug supply chain if the drug crisis hitting public hospitals in the country is to improve.

Phasom says in a statement released this week that as one of the direct sectors involved in the drug chain, they are concerned with the current situation where 95 percent of the essential medicines are out of stock in most public hospitals.

"The pharmaceutical sector should be fully involved in all stages of drug supply chain (i.e. selection, procurement, distribution and use of medicines) in the country.

"In most countries, the pharmaceutical sector plays a pivotal role in the issues of availability and proper management of medicines," said the body in a statement.

Phasom President Cosmas Sawamba said the society understands that due to lack of pharmacists in the country for the past years, it was very hard to practically involve the pharmaceutical sector in the management of medicines.

"Malawians, the government and all sectors involved should realise that even in the abundance of funding for medicines, without full involvement of the pharmacists (the professionals) in all the supply chain stages, issues of poor drug management will continue to significantly contribute to drug shortages in Malawi," said Sawamba.