Former Minister of Health Dr. George Norton has jumped to the defence of his successor Volda Lawrence admitting that up to when he left office in early January this year there was a shortage of drugs and he could see the need for the recent $605M emergency supply procured.
“I know I had said that there was not a shortage of drugs but I had to go back and say that I said that because of the information that was fed to me by MOH (Ministry of Health) staff,” Norton told Stabroek News yesterday.
“I can see why she (Lawrence) would say there is a shortage because there is a shortage, everybody knows that…I had even gone to Cabinet and said I think they were lying to me because MMU (Materials Management Unit) said something different,” he added.
It was the first time Norton has publicly admitted that there was a shortage of drugs during his tenure as Minister of Health.
