Motsoaledi accepts broadcaster's apology & appeals for partnership in the fight against HIV
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has today welcomed an apology by eNCA for broadcasting a story under the headline "TAC sounds alarm on shortage of ARV's on 19 May 2015.
The story featured an HIV positive patient outside a clinic in KZN, claiming that she never got her treatment and also claiming widespread shortages of ARVs around most clinics in KZN.
She painted a bleak picture of the ARV treatment programme, that raised alarm and panic all over the country. On Sunday, 254 May 24 2015, the Minister provided facts to the media.
“It is therefore encouraging that the broadcaster after conducting their own investigation into the matter owned up to the mistake and on behalf of the Department of Health I appreciate and accept the apology," Motsoaledi said.
The Minister considers the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) as one of the most important partners in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and would therefore appeal to them to desist from activities that lead to misleading the media and hence the general public. This has the potential to cause unnecessary panic, confusion and even desperation among those infected and affected by the disease.
The South African HIV Treatment Programme is one of the biggest in the world. It constitutes 30% of the global programme. It is therefore very vulnerable to local, national and indeed international drug production, availability, supply logistics and other intricate factors of medicine supply market.
Therefore it needs maximum cooperation from all stakeholders rather than trying to score points against each other – an activity that would least help those affected and infected.
The burden of HIV and AIDS in our country can least afford political grandstanding and in this regard the Minister would like to appeal to Dr Wilmot James of the DA to stop using the confusion caused by this false alarm to score cheap political points by claiming that “MCC sceptical about Motsoaledi’s denials”.
It seems Dr James is trying to concoct reasons why he should blame the Minister and the Department of Health for the shortage of Abacavir.
Firstly, the Medicines Control Council (MCC) has never consulted Dr James – this was confirmed by the Registrar.
Secondly, it seems that Dr James does not understand the role of the MCC - the MCC has no responsibility over medicine tenders so it would be absurd to ask the MCC for an opinion on a matter that falls out of their jurisdiction.
Thirdly, the Department of Health has finalised and published the contract for the supply of Anti-retroviral drugs on the 23rd day of December 2014 and the effective date of the contract was the 1st of April 2015.
The contract was in placed over three months before the existing contract expired. Was it not for political grandstanding, Dr James could have checked this easily on our website where this information is freely available.
The Minister of Health has publicly acknowledged the shortage of Abacavir due to the shortage of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) which are only obtainable from abroad. The Minister got an assurance that supplies will normalise in June 2015. However on Friday, 22 May 2015, our depots started receiving the stock.
The National Department of Health has in good faith, placed the list of drugs and companies that supply them, who may at that moment experience shortage or supply problem on the departmental website. This was an early warning system to assist those who order the medicines and those who prescribe, to avoid the product from a particular supplier and rather guide them to consider alternative therapeutic option on time. However we have since learnt that the list is misconstrued as indicative of widespread shortage of medicines throughout the country. In this regard, the department has withdrawn the list and will device an alternative early warning system to advise intended users.
Enquiries:
Joe Maila, Ministry of Health: Spokesperson
Cell: 082 887 3581
E-mail: mailaj@health.gov.za | health.spokesperson@gmail.com
