MEC apologises for shortage of drugs

The MEC for Health, Hope Papo, has sent out a statement apologising to patients who were inconvenienced by the recent inadequate drug supplies at government clinics.

This also comes subsequent to the Advertiser reporting on government clinics experiencing a shortage in medicine, and people having to turn away after waiting in long lines at the health facilities.

According to the statement, the Gauteng Health Department has begun distributing antitroviral drugs to clinics that had experienced short supplies in the recent weeks, including those in Ekurhuleni.

“We understand that a shortage of drugs places a heavy burden on patients who have to make many trips to the clinics.

“We are also sensitive to the fact that patients may develop drug resistance if they do not take their medication regularly,” says Papo in the statement.

“It is for this reason that we are taking every possible step to stabilise drug supply in the province.”

Some clinics in Ekurhuleni had experienced much pressure of inadequate ARV supplies.

The department hopes that, with the improvement in the availability of anti-retroviral drugs, clinics will start improving dosages given to patients from one week to a month.

Also revealing its wish to minimise the amount of visits patients have to make to clinics, the department stated that patients who adhere properly to their treatment, and whose conditions stabilise in time, will be provided with a three-month supply of medication.