The Gauteng department of health says it has put measures in place to ensure adequate supply of medication at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital after the facility experienced challenges with the consistent supply of some stock between January and May.
This affected only “a few” medicines and not any life-saving drugs, MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Relehoko said in a response to questions in the Gauteng legislature.
Alternative treatments were provided to patients, she said.
The medication shortages emanated from suppliers not having stock, fast moving items not being available on contract with increasing medications on buyout and delays in deliveries from the depot or suppliers.
Interventions taken include bulk ordering of stock, communicating with suppliers on alternatives when experiencing medicine shortages, weekly stock check on fast moving items, and working with other health facilities. Buyout processes are also initiated promptly, Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
Some of the medication that was in short supply included:
• Sodium valproate injection used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It's occasionally used to prevent migraine headaches. Phenytoin injection was given as an alternative.
• Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg is used alone or together with other medicines to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg was given as an alternative.
• Sodium bicarbonate 8.5% is an antacid used to mainly to relieve heartburn and acid indigestion. Sodium bicarbonate 4.2% was given as an alternative.
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