Kwanele Ximba
Acting MEC for Health, Jacob
Mamabolo is pleased that over five million patients collected their medication
in health facilities across the province in the past financial year.  
Mamabolo said this was an
indication of the Gauteng’s health system’s capability to deliver quality
healthcare. 
 In 2019, 5 465 003 patients collected their
medication from pharmacies in state hospitals.
Mamabolo noted that despite
the increasing volume of people visiting the provincial health facilities continue
to meet its obligation.
“This affirms the resilience
of our health system and the state of readiness towards the implementation of
the universal health coverage (National Health Insurance),” said Mamabolo.
The department has put measures in place to tackle
any shortage of medication.  These
include the following: Weekly monitoring of medicine availability at the
pharmacy store which provides an opportunity to source stock before it impacts
service delivery;
Follow ups are made with suppliers to expedite
delivery, when an item has exceeded the lead time;
​Movement of and borrowing of stock between
facilities where possible​
Ensuring adequate stock holding for the
suppliers with longer lead times
Imposing penalties on non-performing suppliers;
Payment of suppliers within 30 days, to ensure
that accounts are not placed on hold; and
Buy-out against suppliers who cannot supply the
medication and have exceeded on the contractual lead time.
MEC Mamabolo further stated
that the average waiting time to collect medication at the government hospital
pharmacies was within the norms and standards for waiting time but noted that
there was room for improvement.