Motsoaledi on police’s plan to send medication to illegal miners

Health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has voiced his concerns regarding the police’s decision to send antiretroviral (ARV) medication to illegal miners trapped underground in the Stilfontein mine.

Police received a request for the medication from the miners.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Motsoaledi said the health department was not informed about the decision, adding chronic medication was not provided without a prescription.

“The department does not provide anybody with any medication. We developed policies and the issue of you getting medication is between you and your doctor,” he said.

“First, a doctor must diagnose you and prescribe for you. ARVs are not Panado, they are not over-the-counter medication. They go from a doctor to a patient, or from a nurse to a patient after particular policies and standards. They are not just distributed like food or water or vitamins,” Motsoaledi said. 

Authorities previously blocked essential supplies to miners underground to force them to resurface. However, after a Pretoria high court order to unblock the mine shaft for emergency personnel, deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili announced plans to provide necessary medication, including ARVs.

“I don’t know how she’s going to do that, because who do you send ARVs to? Under whose name will they be issued? Where will they come from? What will they be treating? Because we don’t know the diagnosis of anybody, we can’t just take medicines and say that somebody has requested ARVs and we’re taking them there. What if we are causing harm to a particular person?” Motsoaledi said.

He added he has questioned police minister Senzo Mchunu on how this process will be carried out.

“He said that, as far as he understands the order, the court just stated that police should not bar anybody from receiving emergency help. He mentioned that community members are going down there to do whatever they are doing. If they happen to be accompanied by a doctor who is going to administer medication, then the police won’t stop such a doctor.”

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