Mother concerned about vaccine shortage
More and more patients feel they have no choice but to try and obtain important medication privately.
The concerned mother of a six-week old baby questioned why the Newcastle clinic ran out of the important vaccine Pentaxim earlier this month.
Caryn Stonell expressed her anxiety that the combination drug that protects against diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis and invasive infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b, was not available.
“I was told at the clinic to come back after a month but I was concerned about my son falling ill, so I bought the medication over the counter. I paid more than R350 but I believe that he needs it,” said Mrs Stonell.
Pharmacist at Scott Street Pharmacy, Jamilah Jadwat, impressed the importance of the vaccine in keeping epidemics of seriously contagious diseases at bay.
Miss Jadwat revealed the unfortunate reality that public health services is frequently running out of important medication, forcing patients to pay large amounts of money to acquire the medication privately.
“We recently had a cancer patient who was battling to obtain her tablets at the Madadeni Hospital. The money for the medication had to be raised in the community and we supplied it at cost,” she said.
Clinic committee public relations officer, Ally Hoosen, admitted that there were sometimes shortages in the medication but wished to assure the community that it was only until medical staff had adjusted to big changes that were occurring in the Health Department.
Spokesperson for the Madadeni Provincial Hospital, Gcina Dube, was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publishing.
