Johannesburg – The MEC for Health in Mpumalanga, Sasekani Manzini, has promised that all the province’s health facilities will have enough ARVs and chronic medication by Friday.
This announcement follows Sunday World’s expose this week that revealed that there was shortage of ARVs and other chronic disease treatment in the province.
“We have noted the concerns and I have given instructions that medicine must be ordered with speed from our pharmaceutical depot in Middelburg and by Friday the 2nd of July 2021 all health facilities should be having adequate quantities of medicine. The premier and I will on Friday visit the depot to check if all required medicine has been dispatched to all health facilities. We have instructed our staff with immediate effect to work day and night to ensure that we provide all medicine,” said Manzini.
Manzini also said the depot has also been instructed to ensure that all ordered medicine be dispatched to all health facilities.
“I can confirm that medicine is already being delivered in other health facilities as instructed,” said Manzini.
Manzini had a brief virtual meeting with the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) which is one of the organisations that complained about the situation.
During the meeting, the MEC stated that the department was closely monitoring health facilities.
Manzini has today visited Kanyamazane Community Health Care Centre, where she discovered there was a limited number of medicine especially chronic medicine. She proceeded to Barberton Hospital, where the situation was the same and her last stop was at M’Afrika Clinic also in Barberton, where they had full stock of ARV’s and TB medicine and other chronic medication. She, however, said the clinic was also expecting more deliveries soon.
The department said in a statement that the MEC will visit more health facilities during the course of the week to continue with her assessment.
TAC manager in Mpumalanga Sihle Shabalala together with the Positive Women Network director Thandi Maluka have welcomed the news that urgent measures were taken.
Also read:
Mpumalanga clinics run out of life-saving chronic medication
Hospital groups under pressure but medical attention still at hand
Shortages of ARVs worsening, says TAC
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
Sunday World
