'We want a plan, not PR spin': ActionSA calls for KwaZulu-Natal Premier Ntuli to address medication shortages

ActionSA has written to KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli, calling for urgent action to address the province’s severe medication shortages that have crippled healthcare services.

The political party expressed dissatisfaction with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, accusing it of attempting to downplay the crisis through a public relations campaign rather than addressing the root causes of the issue.

This follows a letter dated February 5 from ActionSA to the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health, where provincial party chairperson Zwakele Mncwango highlighted how residents and healthcare workers have been voicing their concerns on social media, detailing their struggles to access essential medications

Mncwango voiced the party's frustration with the government’s response.

"It is completely unacceptable that, instead of addressing the crisis, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health embarked on a public relations campaign last week in an attempt to debunk the reality of medication shortages," Mncwango said.

IOL reported that KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane acknowledged that the department is facing financial constraints but insisted that this has not affected the supply of medication to patients.

She explained that medication shortages could be caused by suppliers not delivering or under-supplying, or if a manager failed to place orders on time, causing stock levels to run low. Simelane emphasised, "we will not allow a patient to go without medication", despite the challenges.

However, ActionSA remains unconvinced, as residents and healthcare workers continue to voice their frustrations on social media, detailing struggles to access essential medications.

"These are fellow citizens who are doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who have to face patients every day and see them suffer," Mncwango said.

ActionSA is consolidating reports from the public, compiling a list of healthcare facilities where the shortages are most pronounced, and providing specific examples, including reports from St. Benedictine Hospital in Nongoma.

ActionSA is demanding an emergency procurement and distribution plan for essential medication, a strategy to address the systemic failures within the provincial healthcare system, and accountability measures for those responsible for the crisis.

The party has set a deadline of Friday, February 14, 2025, for Premier Ntuli to respond. If these demands are not met, ActionSA has warned that it will escalate the matter through legal action, appeals to the national government, and mobilising communities to demand urgent intervention.

In his communication with the MEC, Mncwango also flagged concerns about unpaid suppliers and healthcare facility staff which has exacerbated the crisis.

"The reality is that the department appears to be out of funds," he said, adding that the lack of financial support from National Treasury has worsened the situation.

Despite these challenges, it says the department has opted for a PR approach, showcasing stocked medication at a depot and interviewing select patients. Mncwango criticised this move, calling it an attempt to control the narrative while ignoring the larger issues facing healthcare facilities.

"The people of KwaZulu-Natal are suffering, and no amount of PR spin can erase this issue," Mncwango said.

ActionSA remains firm in its stance that the government must fulfill its duty to provide lifesaving medication to its citizens.

IOL Politics