The Democratic Alliance (DA) called for a parliamentary briefing on the ongoing stock-outs of essential medicines in government healthcare facilities. Health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi recently took umbrage to reports blaming his department of widespread shortages of essential medicines in state hospitals and clinics‚ and shifted the blame to suppliers.Civil society group The Stop Stock Outs Project challenged this assertion‚ saying 80% of reported cases were due to challenges between medicine depots and clinics at provincial and district levels such as incorrect quantities of drugs ordered‚ inaccurate forecasting‚ and poor stock management.“Just last week‚ Motsoaledi denied the stock-outs‚” Dr Heinrich Volmink‚ the DA’s shadow deputy minister of health‚ said.“However‚ this week 20 essential medicines are being flown into the country on emergency flights to address the shortages.”Business Day reported on the emergency measures on Monday‚ and that Motsoaledi late last week had convened an urgent meeting with pharmaceutical manufacturers‚ the Medicines Control Council‚ the provincial health MECs and heads of health departments to establish the scale of the problem‚ the reasons for the stockouts‚ and how long it would take manufacturers to fulfil orders.“The minister has also now conceded that there are extreme challenges with stock management at provincial depots and public medical facilities‚” said Volmink.He listed issues “Motsoaledi needs to account to Parliament” on:What went wrong with the procurement processes in the various provinces?Who signs off on the tenders and payments for medication?Which pharmaceutical companies are being used and why?Are we getting bang for buck with the acquisition of certain medication?“We are cautiously optimistic that the intervention by Minister Motsoaledi to have these essential medications flown-in will alleviate some of the dire shortages in the interim‚” said Volmink.“However‚ the systemic problems leading to medicine stock-outs will remain if the Department does not stage a lasting intervention.”He cited the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) findings three weeks ago that the North West and Free State provinces had challenges regarding the timely delivery of ordered medical stock.“Late payments due to inept management in the Free State were identified as a key challenge towards the delivery of medicine‚” he said.He also pointed out that the PSC found that the in DA-run Western Cape’s distribution system “to be highly effective with the transportation of medical supplies”‚ and it “regularly kept buffer stock to ensure zero shortages of medicines”.“Stock-outs is not a new phenomenon‚” Volmink said. “Motsoaledi would do well to get to grips with the matter and make it a priority to root out all issues relating to supply chain management irregularities.”-RDM News Wire..