Gauteng Health solves the medicine shortage problem at Tembisa Hospital

The Gauteng Department of Health has put the blame on suppliers and delays at the depot as the reasons for the shortage of medication at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital that occurred in the first five months of the year.

PLANS TO PREVENT ANOTHER MEDICINE SHORTAGE AT TEMBISA HOSPITAL

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Health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Relehoko revealed this while responding to questions at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

The MEC has however ensured that measures have been put in place to ensure that the hospital has a consistent supply of medications.

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“These measures include bulk ordering of stock, communicating with suppliers on alternatives when experiencing medicine shortages, weekly stock check on fast moving items, working with other health facilities and buyout processes initiated promptly,” she says.

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SPECIFIC MEDS THAT WERE MAINLY IN SHORTAGE

Patients that were affected were mainly those with bipolar, hypertension and epilepsy.

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Nkomo-Relehoko says all lifesaving medications were always available.

Some of the medication that was in short supply included:

• Sodium valproate injection is used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It’s occasionally used to prevent migraine headaches. Phenytoin injection was given as an alternative.
• Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg is used alone or together with other medicines to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg was given as an alternative.
• Sodium bicarbonate 8.5% is an antacid used mainly to relieve heartburn and acid indigestion.
• Sodium bicarbonate 4.2% was given as an alternative.