24 Sep 2013

Kgatleng District Council chairperson, Mr Tona Mooketsi has revealed that the pharmacy department in the District Health Management Team (DHMT) has devised a strategy to address the challenge of shortage of drugs in health facilities. Addressing the Kgatleng District Council meeting on September 23, Mr Mooketsi said the pharmacy department will order drugs for all health facilities from the Central Medical Stores and then distribute them from a central source.

“The DHMT has identified the Old Morwa Health Post for use as a main storage for the district. Arrangements to make it ready for operation are in progress,” he said. Mr Mooketsi told the council meeting that drug shortage in health facilities in Kgatleng was a cause for concern.

He said the district’s drug availability level is 74 per cent which is much lower than the expected 97 per cent. He told council that Central Medical Stores, which supplies drugs and other pharmaceutical items, has been undergoing restructuring.

“This resulted in misplacement of some drugs and items that were ordered from CMS, which negatively influenced their availability in health facilities,” he said. ENDS