THE Gauteng Department of Health has dismissed claims of widespread delays in medication distribution, assuring the public that stock levels at public health facilities remain stable and well above national targets.
This comes after the Democratic Alliance (DA) raised the alarm over alleged disruptions at the province's medical supply depot.
The DA said delays in distribution were causing significant backlogs and long waiting times for patients at clinics and hospitals.
However, Gauteng Health spokesman Motalatale Modiba rubbished the claims.
He said the DA had misrepresented the situation and caused unnecessary concern about the performance of the medical supply depot.
ALSO READ | Boyfriend to lover: Welcome to the world of Aids, Kagiso!Opens in new window
"No health facility in the province has reported systematic stock-outs of essential medicines," said Modiba.
He said according to data from the National Department of Health's monitoring dashboard, Gauteng currently leads the country in medicine availability.
"On average, hospitals in the province maintain a 95% availability rate for all formulary medicines and 98% availability for essential medicines," he said.
The department acknowledged ongoing global pharmaceutical supply challenges but maintained that these have not significantly impacted the province's ability to deliver medication to its public health institutions.
Gauteng Health emphasised its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted access to treatment for patients across the province.
The department encouraged the public to report any isolated issues directly to facility management.
