The Stop Stockouts Project has warned that the country is running out of anti-retroviral drugs.
The group, which monitors and reports on medicine shortages, says they’re concerned that there’s also a shortage of other lifesaving medication supplies at state health facilities.
Dr Francois Venter, who is one of South Africa’s leading HIV/Aids specialists, says that they have been told that by December everything should be resolved but it’s a long time to be without lifesaving medicine.
Venter says, “We’re getting reports of stock outs of 2nd and 3rd line medicines as well as some TB medication and contraceptives. It seems to affect multiple products from different companies and it is a national problem. What worries me is there is no communication from the health department on what to do. So facilities are making it up on the fly.”
“We’ve been told that by December everything should be solved but it’s a long time to be without lifesaving medicine. We need the contraceptives to stop unwanted pregnancies. It really is not a great situation,” adds Venter.
