Shortage of medicines worries DA

ALTHOUGH the shortage of psychiatric medication has caused Gauteng patients to “suffer” for a year, the provincial government has assured residents that measures are in place to fix the problem.

Yesterday, the DA’s Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom said the province’s psychiatric patients “had suffered over the past year” due to a shortage of nine drugs.

This followed a written response to Bloom from Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku, who said the medication in short supply included three antidepressants, three antipsychotics and two epilepsy treatments.

According to Bloom, Masuku revealed that even though the medication was out of stock, “the suppliers were delivering limited quantities which were evenly distributed to the facilities.

“Patients were given limited quantities so that they do not go home without medication. Where there are alternatives patients were given the alternative medication,” Masuku said.

Bloom, however, said he did not agree with Masuku that the effects from a shortage of drugs were minimal.

“I have had many complaints from psychiatric patients that they had adverse reactions from the switching of medicines and sometimes ran out of medicines for a period of time.

“It is unfortunate that Gauteng is dependent on national health tenders for psychiatric drugs as they are often badly handled,” Bloom said yesterday.

Health Department spokesperson Philani Mhlungu acknowledged yesterday that the department had been unable to meet the 98% availability of essential medicines due to nationwide supplier problems.

Mhlungu said essential medication was procured from the medical supplier depot, where the department puts contracts in place for essential medication.

“The contracted suppliers are given estimates of the quantities required by the government for each line item for the duration of the contract period.

“For various reasons, some of the contracted suppliers run out of stock for some of the essential medicines,” Mhlungu said, adding that the department had, however, put measures in place to address these issues.

“Contracted suppliers who do not deliver on time are penalised in accordance with the contract. Reports on poorly performing suppliers are referred to the national Department of Health for further management.

“The same medicine is sourced from non-contracted suppliers where possible. Alternative medicines are also sourced as replacements.”