Gauteng health grapples with medicine supply challenges

The Gauteng department of health says it is implementing interventions to minimise treatment interruptions and ensure available medicines are distributed as equitably as possible, as health facilities in the province grapple with medicine shortages.

In a statement, the department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, said it is monitoring shortages of medicine at different health facilities due to several reasons, including changes in medicine contracts, supplier delays, procurement lead times, supplier participation, and broader pharmaceutical supply-chain pressures.

“The department recognises that medicine shortages can cause anxiety and inconvenience for patients, particularly those who depend on chronic medication. We remain committed to ensuring continuity of care for patients who depend on chronic and other essential medicines. The department will continue working with the national department of health, suppliers, districts and health facilities to address current supply challenges and strengthen medicine availability across the province,” Mabona said.

He emphasised the need to distinguish between the temporary unavailability of a particular brand, pack size, or supplier’s product and the complete absence of treatment for a patient.

“Patients may receive medicines from different approved manufacturers or in different packaging while the medicine remains the same in terms of its active ingredient, strength and therapeutic benefit. In this regard, where a specific medicine, strength or pack size is unavailable, the department’s Medicine Availability and Escalation Protocol provides for alternative pack sizes, strengths and clinically appropriate therapeutic alternatives in line with approved guidelines,” he said.

Mabona said in addition, available stock may be rotated between facilities and, where necessary, across districts to improve availability and minimise wastage. He said facilities and districts also engage suppliers to expedite outstanding orders.

He said the provincial department works closely with the national department of health and other stakeholders to address supply challenges.

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