THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has acknowledged that some patients that were turned away from its health facilities were told that there is no medication. This emerged at a press briefing at the Wentworth Hospital during MEC Nomagugu Simelane’s impromptu visit to the hospital on February 13.

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Part of Simelane’s visit was to update the province on the availability of stock, amid claims that some hospitals are running low on medication. She dispelled previous media reports that suggested that the department had run out of medication until April  1.

However, a patient who visited Wentworth Hospital on February 13, said he was told that the pharmacy was short of medication such as Amlodipine 10mg, Regretol and Panado.

Simelane said the department uses the stock visibility system to measure the availability of stock in health facilities, depots and clinics.

“We do not have a stock shortage in the province,” she said.

Simelane said the department has stockpiled enough medication, as currently they have a three-month supply of medication ready to be distributed to healthcare facilities.

She, however, admitted that some healthcare facilities are 60% low on certain medications – meaning that the stockpiling has been reduced to a much lower level. She said the reasons for this vary, as some suppliers do not have a specific medication that is required at the time.

Department outsources medication in cases of emergency

She said in cases where the department does not have a specific medication, they have alternatives to give to patients.

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“It has come to our attention that in some of our facilities, for reasons that are unknown to us, when patients come in they are told that there is no medication. Some of them are being turned away. As a result, as the department we have started putting up posters and banners to provide people with the numbers they call us on,” she said.

Simelane stated that the shortage of normal Rifampicin, a TB medication, was due to the manufacturer’s challenges, but said that the department does have an alternative.

She said even if the province runs out of stock, it will obviously source the stock from other provinces.

Budgetary constraints remain a challenge to the KZN Department of Health

She highlighted that the department’s financial year started in April 2024, however, the budget allocation that was given to the department was not sufficient.

“It is not sufficient for the department to run everything that we need to do,” said Simelane.

She said the department has escalated the matter to the KZN Premier Thami Ntuli, provincial treasurer, national treasurer and the President.

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“The department is not funded in the manner that it should, as a result we are struggling financially. Towards the end of last year, we had challenges of paying some service providers, however, that does not mean that we did not have medication,” she added.

Acting head of the department, Penny Msimango, said some KZN district hospitals are at amber level of stock availability while some are green – meaning they have sufficient medications.

“It does happen sometimes that the supplier does not have a particular drug because the pharmaceutical companies that make that particular drug do not have an active ingredient – the ingredient that forms the base of a drug,” said Msimango.

Simelane urged individuals experiencing challenges with medication availability to contact the Department on 033 395 2279 or use the WhatsApp line 082 314 1167.

Meanwhile, ActionSA issued a list of more than 50 hospitals and clinics in the province that do not have medication. In a statement, Clairwood Hospital was listed among those that are battling with the shortage of medication.

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