KZN Health MEC, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, has hailed health workers for successfully initiating and implementing the Centralised Chronic Medication Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) programme in the Umzinyathi District. Speaking at the launch in the Moth Hall ,Dr Dhlomo explained how the programme will assist the 52 672 patients already enrolled in the programme in the District, where 93% of the population (482 119) is uninsured and depend heavily on public health care.
The CCMDD scheme aims to ease pressure on clinics and all patients who are above the age of 18 and have been taking their chronic treatment for more than six months. Chronic medicine can now be picked up at one of the 125 pick up points in the district that includes clinics, private chemists, doctors’ rooms, ‘war rooms’, creches and other centres.

All that the qualifying patients have to do to is to register at their nearest clinic for the service and choose their preferred pick up point. Patients also have to bring their identity documents and then get their cards with collection dates.
MEC Dhlomo explained to Amakhosi, Mayors, Councillors, church leaders, traditional health practitioners and others gathered in the Moth Hall, the three categories in which patients can enrol, mentioning:
* Spaced and Fastlane Appointment System which is about patients picking up pre-packaged medication from a dedicated fast lane at the Pharmacy or consulting room in a clinic.
*Adherence Clubs that entails a group of about five to ten patients forming voluntary support group clubs that can collect medication for each other.
“Central Chronic Dispensing and Distribution whereby chronic medication is delivered to community-based pickup points by a contracted service providers and patients pick up the medication from this point rather than from a health facility.