Western Cape calls for urgent intervention at ports to speed up medicine supplies
Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, has called on national Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, to urgently assist in identifying and removing potential bottlenecks at South African ports that may be further delaying the supply of essential medicines to public healthcare facilities.
In a letter to Minister Creecy, Minister Wenger requested assistance in prioritising the processing and movement of imported medicines, particularly at Durban harbour, where concerns have been raised about delays.
“This is about protecting the health, wellbeing and dignity of patients who depend on these medicines. Every unnecessary delay in getting medicines into the country is another delay in getting them to the patients who need them. With our healthcare facilities already experiencing significant medicine supply constraints, we cannot afford additional delays where they can be avoided. That is why I have written to Minister Creecy to request her urgent assistance in identifying and addressing any operational or logistical bottlenecks at our ports,” said Minister Wenger.
While the precise nature of the delays has not yet been established, the Department is seeking urgent coordination between the relevant authorities, terminal operators and other stakeholders to identify and address potential obstacles.
Once imported medicines arrive in South Africa, they must undergo rigorous quality testing before being distributed to healthcare facilities. This process can take between three and four weeks, making the timely clearance of medicine consignments particularly important.
“Patient safety must always come first, and the necessary testing processes cannot be compromised. However, when medicines still need to undergo several weeks of testing after arriving in the country, eliminating avoidable delays becomes even more important. Every day we can save in the supply chain is a day gained in getting essential medicines to our patients.”
The request forms part of the Western Cape Government's ongoing efforts to address medicine shortages. Minister Wenger has previously raised these concerns with national Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, and called for medicine supply challenges to be prioritised for discussion at the National Health Council.
The shortages reflect a combination of manufacturing constraints, international shipping disruptions, supplier backorders, procurement challenges and regulatory delays.
“Our healthcare teams are doing everything they can to manage inconsistent medicine availability, including securing alternatives and redistributing available stock. But these measures are becoming increasingly difficult as shortages persist. While there is no single solution, we must act wherever we can make a difference. This requires cooperation across government and industry to address challenges within our control. Our patients depend on us to work together to ensure they can access the medicines they need,” concluded Minister Wenger.
Media Queries:
Robyn Thomson
Media Liaison Officer for the Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness