The lack of TB medications in various health centers, which continues to see a lot of TB patients not being fully treated, indicates a very serious issue faced in the country in terms of procuring these lifesaving medical drugs. Ms. Karen Yaman, the Morobe Provincial TB Leprosy Coordinator said that due to this situation their TB patients are currently receiving antibiotic treatment, which is a supplementary medicine for patients to take to suppress the infection while waiting for the TB drugs. At present, they only have the Pediatrics ‘Initial Phase’ and not the ‘Continuation Phase’ of the treatment. “We only have the initial phase and not the continuation phase of the treatment and if patients don’t get their treatments, they develop complications. The chances of developing drug resistance TB are also high.” Ms. Yaman said operating at the provincial level they have more than 60 patients registered and always tend to turn-away patients upon diagnosis due to no TB drugs. She added that they were instructed to raising a kit-box for a patient (which is a slandered practice) but due to the recurrent shortage of TB drugs, they are advising health officers to give out antibiotics while waiting for TB drugs to arrive. She further stated that the issue of no TB drugs and all other medical drugs across the board needs to be seriously investigated and addressed. “The national government needs to look into these issues and help us with adequate money to purchase TB drugs as well as other medical supplies to the health facilities. This is an ongoing issue.”