Health Portfolio Committee Follows Up On Medicine Shortages

17 MARCH 2025
TO ALL MEDIA
HEALTH PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE FOLLOWS UP ON MEDICINE SHORTAGES

Following the ongoing reports of shortages of medicine in public healthcare facilities, the Portfolio Committee will tomorrow, 18 March 2025, at 8am hold a virtual meeting to receive updates from the previous meeting held in this regard with the department. Then, on Thursday, members will conduct an oversight visit to the Provincial Pharmaceutical Supply Depot (PPSD) in Clairwood. The PPPSD is the “wholesale pharmacy-like” supplier to public healthcare institutions such as clinics in KZN.
The depot provides medicines to 566 of 588 clinics directly and the remaining 22 clinics receive stock from mother hospitals. It also supports 23 Community Health Centres (CHC’s), and 69 hospitals.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Hon, Imran Keeka, said “The virtual meeting follows a previous meeting where we received an update in the state of medicine stocks in KZN. With the follow-up meeting we wish to monitor whether the areas of concern raised by the portfolio committee have either improved or worsened. I am also very concerned that lapses on the side of facility management who are not properly working with district management is contributing to patient difficulties. Our duty is to perform formal oversight over the executive and to verify what officials are telling us. If we don’t go and see for ourselves, we can’t be said to be doing the work of the people of KZN”.

Members of the media are invited to join virtually and on Thursday to meet with the Committee after the oversight visit. A link will be sent to the media via our Whatsap Media Group and email. Arrangements for interviews with the chairperson following the oversight can be arranged with him directly

ISSUED BY KZN LEGISLATURE
Wesley Canham
Senior Practitioner Media liaison
0833767299
Honourable Dr Imran Keeka, MPL
Chairperson: Health Portfolio Committee
083 703 9135