12 Nov 2026

The Central Medical Stores (CMS) has adequate storage capacity, with only 53.6 per cent of its warehouse storage locations currently occupied, Minister of Health Dr Stephen Modise has said. 

Responding to a parliamentary question, Dr Modise said CMS had a modern warehouse with 12,572 storage bin locations, of which 6,746 were occupied. 

He said the storage capacity was considered adequate, adding that CMS also had satellite warehouses to accommodate excess medical commodities should the main warehouse reach full capacity. 

On measures to prevent wastage of medicines through damage and expiry, Dr Modise said CMS had an inventory management system designed to minimise such incidents.

He explained that CMS required all products received to have at least 80 per cent of their shelf life remaining. 

Products with less than 80 per cent shelf life were only accepted on a needs basis for hospitals and clinics. 

Furthermore, he said medical commodities were dispatched to health facilities in accordance with the First Expiry, First Out (FEFO) principle, ensuring that products with the shortest remaining shelf life were dispatched first to minimise expiries. 

Dr Modise said CMS also had a quality assurance unit responsible for inspecting products upon receipt, with damaged products identified and rejected. 

Dr Modise was responding to a question from Mmopane/Metsimotlhabe Member of Parliament, Ms Helen Manyeneng, who had asked him to state the preparedness of storage facilities at CMS and whether an inventory management system was in place to prevent wastage resulting from the disposal of damaged or expired medicines. ENDS