Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says his department will continue implementing a new Information and Technology system at the pharmaceutical depot in Limpopo, despite reported technical problems.
The technology system resulted in delays in the delivery of medicine across clinics in the province. Some clinics and hospitals reported shortages, after the new system was went online in July.
Motsoaledi says G-Commerce was piloted in the Northern Cape and improved drug supply to health facilities.
“With PDX, sometimes there is a delay in the payment of companies with the consequence that they stop delivering. With G-Commerce that can’t happen. Immediately, they put in the invoice. The delivery is there. There’ll be payments, so the officials could not use it. We are going to make them use it. We are bringing six people who have used it in Northern Cape. It has improved drug supply tremendously in the Northern supply,” says Motsoaledi.
Meanwhile, Motsoaledi says there is a shortage of certain combination Anti-Retro-Viral medication in the country and elsewhere in the world, due to the closure of some drug-manufacturing factories in China.
“There is a shortage of certain drugs in the country, throughout the country, especially ARV combinations that contain Lamivudine. They are in short supply in the country. It is a global problem. The whole world is running helter skelter because of shortage of Lamivudine. The reason is because the API or active pharmaceutical ingredient is produced in China and China has closed the factories that produce those,” says Motsoaledi.
