To provide security for the medical supplies stored at the Area Medical Store warehouse that have reports of theft and break and enter, the United Nations Population Fund has provided 14 solar lights to light up the area.
The Lae Area Medical Store (AMS) team successfully set up the lights around the warehouse including roof top and inside to provide light.
The AMS Acting Assistant Manager Lukey Pokapon explained that the lights will provide security.
“It has been close to 10 years since we had proper lights in and around the warehouse and it has been a security risk for the team and the medicine suppliers stored here,” Pokapon said.
“We have had incidents of several break-ins into the property. With no lighting in the area, common thieves have stolen supplies and have left unseen. This is not good, especially when we have essential medical supplies for five provinces stored here,” he said.
The Area Medical Store in Lae, Morobe Province is responsible for medicine supply and distribution to almost 200 Health facilities in Morobe Province and four other catchment provinces; Eastern Highlands, Madang, Manus, and the Northern Province.
The AMS works closely with the United Nations Population Fund, through its Reproductive Health Commodities Supply Chain team, for procuring of these commodities and storing them at the warehouse.
“We receive support from UNFPA and they are our good partners. So I told them of the situation of no lights in the AMS last year,” Pokapon added.
“Through their positive response, we now have four street solar lights. The two we have mounted on the roof provide light from the AMS onto the streets around AMS ensuring that there is no room for any theft, helping the guards that monitor the area.”
Mr. Pokapon expressed his gratitude towards UNFPA for recognizing the need and responding. Although it may seem small in gesture, it has a lasting effect.
The UNFPA’s work with the Lae AMS is part of the organization’s work in strengthening reproductive health commodity supply chains, ensuring that medicines and devices are available when and where they are needed in health facilities around the country. In addition to procuring reproductive health commodities, UNFPA works in partnership with the National Department of Health to provide inventory management training for health facility staff responsible for managing stock levels of essential medicines to improve logistics between the Area Medical Store and health facilities.
