Western Cape Health & Wellness Minister Mireille Wenger has written to national Transport Minister Barbara Creecy over delays in the delivery of essential medicines, raising concerns about delays at Durban harbour and bottlenecks at South African ports that are further delaying medical supplies, reports Cape Argus.
“This is about protecting the health, well-being and dignity of patients who depend on these medicines,” Wenger wrote. “Every unnecessary delay in getting medicines into the country is another delay in getting them to the patients who need them.”
She said healthcare facilities were already experiencing significant medicine supply constraints and that avoidable delays could not be allowed to make the situation worse.
Imported medicines still have to undergo quality testing before being distributed to healthcare facilities – which could take between three and four weeks.
Wenger has also raised the issue with National Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and called for supply challenges to be prioritised at the National Health Council.
In the Western Cape, DA councillor Kevin Southgate said those going to Retreat Community Health Centre are fed up with the shortages and long queues, and that some of them repeatedly return to the facility without receiving the medication they need.
“Not receiving their medication raises their levels of anxiety and adds another layer of stress to an already stressful life,” he said, adding that his office was being used as a collection point for some patients’ medication to reduce the need for them to queue at the clinic.
However, he said the arrangement could not help when medicines were out of stock.
Health Department denies patients being turned away
The Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness acknowledged that Retreat CHC was experiencing high demand but said all patients presenting for care were assisted.
Monique Johnstone, assistant director of communication for District Health Services, said the facility managed around 750 patient visits a day, including appointments and walk-ins.
“While management is currently in the process of filling three posts, we can reassure you that all patients … are assisted and are not turned away,” she told IOL Media.
She said the centre had five full-time medical officers, three sessional medical officers, three community service medical officers, two medical interns, depending on rotation schedules, and four clinical nurse practitioners.
“Walk-in patients are prioritised according to the urgency of their condition, which may result in longer waiting times during busy periods,” she said.
Patients with stable chronic conditions could be assessed by a doctor and enrolled to collect their medication from an offsite chronic dispensing venue, helping them avoid long queues at the clinic.
She added that the medicine supply challenges at Retreat were part of a wider national problem, affecting all provinces, and that healthcare teams were monitoring stock levels, redistributing medicines where possible and providing suitable alternatives when needed.
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