This comes hours after Thyolo district health spokesperson Fanuel Makina, told Zodiak Online that the district hospital is not offering dental services because for a year, the Trust has not been supplying the hospital with drugs essential for oral surgery.

CMST spokesperson Herbert Chandilanga, indicates that the Trust' supplier has some Lignocaine which can be collected free of charge.

"Recently, low supply of dental Lignocaine has resulted from suppliers only managing to partially satisfy CMST's demand. CMST has therefore always rationed any available lot to hospitals. The last time Thyolo got such supply was in March 2022."

"Around the same time, a supplier wanted to deliver lignocaine usable until June 2022. The short remaining shelf life did not meet CMST’s quality protocol for supplies for distribution and it could not accept it. The supplier then ended up donating it and health facilities were invited to collect at no cost to them," he said.

He added: "While CMST awaits another delivery, the donation is still open and any willing hospitals that have run out of the medicine are drawing from it, free of charge."

Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) executive director George JOBE, has urged Thyolo district council to ensure the dental department is opened as soon as possible.

"For the dental department at Thyolo District Hospital, the district commissioner should make sure that its opened because in such situations, it is the ordinary Malawians that suffer," he said.

Jobe said the ministry of health should also update the citizenry on the state of drugs availability in the country because they have been discussing on the road map to end the problem.

This comes as reports are also indicating that drug shortage has rocked some hospitals across the country.