access to medicines
28 March 2006
The Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, commended Pick 'n Pay
Hypermarket Pharmacies for supporting efforts to increase access to affordable
medicines in the country.
Minister Tshabalala-Msimang was speaking at an event to honour Pick 'n Pay
Chairman, Raymond Ackerman, for making a R4 million donation to the Red Cross
War Memorial Children Hospital in Cape Town today.
"I would also like to express our appreciation for the positive approach
taken by Pick 'n Pay Hypermarket Pharmacies in relation to the government's
efforts to increase access to affordable medicines. This was at the time when
other parties in the retail pharmacy industry were taking government to court
over the regulations limiting a dispensing fee that can be charged on
medicines," said Minister Tshabalala-Msimang.
Pick 'n Pay Hypermarket Pharmacies are of the pharmacy groups that complied
with the dispensing fee that was set by Government in 2004. The dispensing fee
was set at 26% of the manufacturer's price up to the maximum of R26.
"We hope that this spirit will continue to flourish as we seek to comply
with the ruling of the Constitutional Court on the matter. We have announced
the new draft dispensing fee structure. We would like to encourage all
role-players and the public in general to comment on these proposals within the
specified period of a month after the publication of the regulations in the
Government Gazette," said Minister Tshabalala-Msimang.
She said she would like to see consumers in particular being able to express
their views with regard the draft dispensing fees and the general principle of
making medicines more affordable in the country.
"Comments should not be limited to the industry players only, but it should
also involve the broader population that stands to benefit from these
interventions," said Minister Tshabalala-Msimang.
The Department of Health is pleased with the good relationship that it has
developed with Pick 'n Pay over years. During a build-up to the 2003 World AIDS
Day, the Department collaborated with Pick 'n Pay chain stores to collect
donation from across the country in support of the Caring Together campaign
aimed at supporting children in need of care.
These donations were collected and warehoused through the Pick 'n Pay's
network and distributed to thousands of children and poor families.
"We need to promote these types of collaborations and work together in
addressing various social challenges facing our communities," said Minister
Tshabalala-Msimang.
Mr Ackerman's R4 million donation to the Red Cross Hospital was made to mark
his 75th birthday celebration. The donation is the biggest contribution ever
made by a single person in 50 years of the existence of the hospital.
Enquiries:
Sibani Mngadi
Cell: 082 772 0161
Issued by: Department of Health
28 March 2006
