The Minister of Health must intervene as thousands living with HIV in the Eastern Cape are in danger of developing fatal drug resistance due to interrupted antiretroviral (ARV) drug supplies.
The Minister of Health must intervene as thousands living with HIV in the Eastern Cape are in danger of developing fatal drug resistance due to interrupted antiretroviral (ARV) drug supplies.
This was the grave warning of activist organisations in an updated report on the ongoing crisis at the Mthatha medical depot, released on Tuesday.
Five months ago groups including the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and SECTION27 released a report saying the depot hasn't been able to handle ARV orders from clinics and hospitals since last October.
More than 100 000 people, on ARVs or TB treatment, depend on 300 facilities served by this depot.
Almost half of the 70 facilities surveyed during May 2013 had experienced HIV or TB drug stock outs, the report said. The depot is without a full-time manager and is operating with half the usual number of packing staff, the report claims.
“We encourage the national Minister of Health to intervene on an emergency basis to provide health services in line with national standards,” said John Stephens of SECTION27.
Vuyiseka Dubula of the TAC said, “We demand that Eastern Cape MEC for health Sicelo Gqobana take leadership to end these stock-outs.”
Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo failed to respond.
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