The health department has denied there is a medication shortage at healthcare facilities. Picture: Pixabay
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has strongly refuted claims that there is a shortage of chronic medication in the province’s healthcare facilities.
This comes after ActionSA’s provincial chairperson, Zwakele Mncwango accused the department of failing to provide essential medicines, alleging that patients have been unable to access their prescriptions, with supplies expected only at the start of the new financial year on April 1, 2025.
The department said KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane had previously clarified that financial constraints had affected payments to service providers, which sometimes led to temporary disruptions in the supply of certain medications.
However, she said that the department had resolved these issues and that there is no general shortage of chronic medication in the province.
She said while there were financial constraints, this did not mean they have not been paying service providers.
“There was a challenge around December and January, but after that, we worked to ensure that almost all our service providers have been paid. By the end of March, we aim to have paid everyone everything that we owe."
Simelane also highlighted that the department has introduced stricter procurement measures to prevent overspending and ensure sustainable stock levels.
"Two months ago, management decided that the issue of buying medication must be closely monitored. If you want to order a particular medicine, you must be able to show your current stock levels and justify why you need more. In the past, people could just order at whatever pace they wanted. We can't continue like that because the government does not have money. If we operate as if we have unlimited resources, the Department of Health will collapse."
She suggested that some resistance to this new system has fuelled claims of shortages.
"Some people managing medication are not happy with this, so they want to create the impression that there is a crisis to push back against these changes," she said.
It added that inspections were conducted at key healthcare sites and there was no evidence found of medication shortages.
However ActionSA maintained that medication shortages are a reality for many patients in KZN.
ActionSA provincial chairperson Zwakele Mncwango said people had been coming forward on social media to express their frustrations and anger over not receiving vital medication.
He added that healthcare workers had confidentially reported their issues to ActionSA but feared speaking out due to potential victimisation.
To substantiate their claims, the party compiled a list of healthcare facilities where patients have complained about shortages and submitted it to KZN Premier Thami Ntuli, along with examples of out-of-stock medicines at St. Benedictine Hospital in KwaNongoma.
“We have demanded that the Premier provide a comprehensive plan of action by Friday, 14 February 2025, outlining an emergency procurement and distribution plan, a strategy to fix systemic failures, and accountability measures for officials responsible for the crisis,” Mncwango stated.
KZN Health Portfolio Committee chairperson and DA KZN spokesperson on Health acknowledged that some stock shortages exist but criticised ActionSA’s handling of the issue.
He said certain stock outs were linked to national tender delays. “Some of the stock outs are of items dependent on tenders issued by the national department, and others seem to be related to poor stock procurement and rotation in districts and between facilities.”
Keeka added that while substitutes were being provided, this was not ideal.
“Where items are not available at all, patients are given prescriptions to purchase these, and this is wholly unacceptable. Quite often, patients cannot afford to purchase those medicines, and their conditions are likely to deteriorate. I have seen this first hand.”
He assured that the DA would continue to hold the department accountable for addressing stock shortages.
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