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HomeSA Provincial HealthMEC: Gauteng medicine shortage 'stabilised'

MEC: Gauteng medicine shortage 'stabilised'

Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu says the shortage of medicine at the province's hospitals has been stabilised and a new monitoring system has been set up to ensure each facility is able to get supplies as soon as possible, but there are still some gaps in the system, reports Eyewitness News.

Several people from across Gauteng have reported a shortage in some chronic medication at state hospitals and Mahlangu says she will personally ensure this is resolved. Mahlangu has also denied that the shortages are due to suppliers not being paid.

It had earlier been reported in Moneyweb that Gauteng's Department of Health said there was a shortage of basic medical supplies in Ekurhuleni. "Currently, there are low levels of basic medical supplies in the Ekurhuleni area, however service delivery has not been compromised," said spokesperson Prince Hamnca. He said the department was sourcing basic medical supplies from other districts that had excess stock and sending it to Ekurhuleni to maintain acceptable disposable stock levels.

"This challenge was caused by a supplier who accepted orders from the department and failed to deliver the required stock and quantities and not non-payment as alleged," he said. He said Gauteng emergency medical services had since cancelled orders with the supplier who failed to honour the delivery schedules, and had placed orders with another supplier.

DA spokesperson on health, Jack Bloom, said medical consumables were ordered from the Gauteng health department, but supplies had been erratic and grossly inadequate for about a year. "It appears that the problem is due to the non-payment of suppliers." He said the shortage seemed to be spreading in Gauteng but, Ekurhuleni was the most affected.

[link url="http://ewn.co.za/2015/01/16/Gauteng-medical-supply-shortage-stabilised"]Full Eyewitness News report[/link]
[link url="http://www.moneyweb.co.za/moneyweb-south-africa/ekurhuleni-has-a-shortage-of-medical-supplies"]Full Moneyweb report[/link]

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