South Africa Parliament raises concerns over medicine shortages

South Africa’s Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health has adopted an amended Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report, highlighting critical gaps in the national healthcare system. The committee raised alarms regarding frequent medicine stock-outs, particularly for treatments addressing chronic and life-threatening conditions.

In the Western Cape, patients have reported being unable to collect essential medications for hypertension and asthma. The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness attributed these shortages to supply chain pressures, including manufacturing delays, international shipping disruptions, regulatory processes, and delays in national procurement contracts.

The parliamentary report also identified a lack of dedicated budget allocations for traditional medicine and traditional health practitioners. Additionally, the committee called for improved monitoring of palliative-care policy implementation and urged for stronger oversight to ensure healthcare budgets are effectively translated into reliable services for patients.