Government & Pharmaceutical companies plan together to avoid drug stock outs

June 8, 2015

The shortage of medical supplies due to lack of active pharmaceutical ingredients globally has spurred the Department of Health and Pharmaceutical companies into united action to avoid drug stock outs in South Africa's health system.

The shortage of medicines is a global problem affecting even the most developed countries including the United States, Canada, European Union and Australia. 

In South Africa these shortages have affected both the public and private health sectors.

On Friday June 5, 2015 the Minister of Health Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi convened an urgent meeting with 32 executives from pharmaceutical companies & suppliers that have been experiencing difficulties to supply about 155 product lines over the past couple of weeks. The medicines affected by these shortages include certain antibiotics, cardiovascular medicines, analgesics, anaesthetic agents and central nervous system medicines.

Manufacturers of these medicines had an opportunity to share the reasons for these shortages. Each product faces a specific set of challenges nevertheless these problems could be categorised into three areas: 

- Difficulty with sourcing of the active pharmaceutical ingredient and other raw  materials,

- Unforeseen delays in the formulation and packaging of medicines,

- Unanticipated increases in demand for a particular medicine

Manufacturers have reported that they have already implemented remedial measures to correct the problem and over the next four weeks they plan to deliver all outstanding orders for the majority of the medicines that are affected. 

The National Department of Health will be monitoring the situation and implement other measures necessary to ensure the availability of medicines in the health system. In this regard, the National Department of Health has been searching for other global suppliers that may have sufficient stock of these items to assist until supplies are restored. 

Over the next couple of weeks we anticipate receiving these medicines from suppliers outside of South Africa and we are confident that the supplies will improve. 

During this period of limited supplies it may be necessary for patients to use a different strength of medicine where their usual prescribed strength is unavailable (eg 30 mg tablet is unavailable so take two 15mg tablets) or in some cases using a therapeutic alternative until the usual medicine is back in stock. 

The National Department will be communicating the details of how to address the shortage of each medicine with health professionals. 

The National Department of Health will also engage the World Health Organization (WHO) to get guidance especially on the latest developments with regard to products that are pre-qualified by them as we endeavor to source some of this items globally to avoid medicine stock outs in the country.

The National Department of Health would like to reiterate that in South Africa, there is no shortage of ARV's and the supplies of Abacavir is now restored and all back orders will be filled in mid-June.

Statement issued by Joe Maila, Ministry of Health: spokesperson, June 8 2015