Lives of many patients of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD’s) such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension and Cardiovascular diseases hangs by a thread as they fail to access life-saving medicines due to loss of incomes, as well as a general shortage of medicines.

The back-to-back lockdowns and other mobility restrictions have made it hard for many of these patients-many of who stay in rural areas, to access their life-saving medicines and treatment.

Health experts have pointed out that people with pre-existing conditions are more likely to be infected with Covid-19 due to lowered immunity.

The Ministry of Health in December reported that 90 percent of the people who died of Covid-19 in the country had NCD’s, and with the current situation more are likely to die this year.

“Many of the people suffering from NCD’s have lost their incomes due to job losses, yet the medicines have even got more expensive due to shortages, it is a double burden” said Alphonse Mbarushimana, the programme manager of the NCD Alliance.

He noted that the biggest percentage of NCD patients in the country access medication out-of-pocket, but Covid-19 found when many had already crossed into poverty line due to high treatment expenditures.

“The mobility restrictions from last year up to now have barred many from accessing medication, just like everyone else they are required to stay at home yet they are supposed to go look for medicine, which again exposes them to infection, they faced a dilemma,” He said the shortages and uneven distribution of medicine for NCD patients, coupled with restrictions has been a nightmare.

“Distribution of their medicine has been a big issue across the country, for instance we have cancer treatment but they are mostly centralised in Kigali yet many patients are in the villages,” he added.

Just like how many people panicked into stocking food when the country went into the first lockdown, some NCD patients also panicked into stockpiling medicines, which also contributed to shortages.

To avert this, the Ministry of Health directed pharmacies and clinics to be sell minimal quantities of medicines to each person to avoid depleting medicines.

Only the poor in category A of Ubudehe can get these medicines on the community based insurance scheme, yet even these can only access a few of the needed medicines and treatment.

Those who developed multiple secondary complications as a result of NCD’s can’t afford the life-saving treatment they need.

As the pandemic raged, the country faced an increase in drug and health commodities demand with limited importations, resulting in some prices of the pharmaceutical products soaring, and getting out of reach for people who needed them.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry had to swing into action by issuing warnings, inspecting and fined any company that raised the prices of essential commodities including pharmaceuticals amid the pandemic.