Essential medicine shortages are forcing South Africa’s public hospitals and clinics to find alternatives or give patients prescriptions to fill at private pharmacies. The National Health Department’s October hotlist flagged 165 products in critically short supply, including treatments for cancer and severe mental illness. Its November master products list includes 1,135 medicines that provinces can procure. Andy Gray, a senior…
Tag: Medicine Shortages
-
Medicine Shortages Prompt the Province to Seek National Intervention
Medicine shortages have prompted the Western Cape government to seek urgent national intervention, including an investigation into possible port delays affecting imported medicines. Health and Wellness MEC Mireille Wenger has asked Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to help identify logistical obstacles and prioritise medicine consignments. Her request highlights concerns about the Port of Durban. However, authorities have yet to establish the…
-
Gauteng Health Dept Should Be Placed Under Administration
The Gauteng health department should be placed under Treasury administration. Chronic medicine shortages have left clinic patients rationing medication or buying it themselves. The editorial says the province can no longer guarantee even basic care. Patients told to split pills Recently, chronic medicine shortages at Gauteng clinics have forced some patients to buy medicines privately or ration their pills. Mamelodi…
-
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Crisis Deepens
South Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing crisis is growing as local producers lose government contracts and contend with rising costs. Stavros Nicolaou, chair of Pharmaceuticals Made in South Africa, says the Department of Health’s procurement policy is undermining the government’s localisation ambitions. He notes that officials award contracts to companies labelled as local suppliers. However, some companies import finished medicines rather than…
-
Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Needs Urgent Support
An industry group has warned that South Africa’s emphasis on securing the lowest possible prices for medicine is excluding local pharmaceutical companies from important state contracts. This issue highlights the challenges faced by local pharmaceutical manufacturing. In particular, they struggle to remain competitive in the market. Pharmaceuticals Made in South Africa (Pharmisa) told Parliament that the Health Department’s procurement policies…
-
Contraceptive Shortages Hit South African Healthcare
South Africa is facing severe supply constraints of several widely used birth control brands. Manufacturing disruptions at Aspen Pharmacare have triggered these stockouts. The Department of Health and the major pharmacy chain Clicks confirmed the disruption this week. The supply gap impacts both state-subsidised clinics and private pharmacies. Key oral contraceptives like Triphasil, Nordette, and Microval are currently difficult to…
-
Local Medicine Manufacturing and National Health Security
In a strategic move to enhance local medicine manufacturing, Sahpra aims to fast-track the approval of locally made medicines. This is an effort to secure the national supply. Sahpra’s decision aims to address drug shortages and reduce reliance on imports. Furthermore, it aims to strengthen the nation’s pharmaceutical industry through initiatives in local medicine manufacturing. In a significant move to…