initiating patients on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in provinces
9 February 2009
Health Minister Barbara Hogan says she will do whatever she can to ensure
that all patients in the country have reasonable access to healthcare services
including life saving medicines.
Minister Hogan said: "Regarding the initiation of patients living with HIV
on treatment in the Free State, I have already taken, and will continue to
take, urgent steps to ensure that any delay in initiation, where it is the
direct result of financial pressures, is immediately addressed."
Similar steps are also being taken in other provinces. Minister Hogan said
additional funding was and is being sought through donors, and she is also in
discussion with National Treasury in this regard. Initiating new adult patients
is of course an urgent matter. For this reason and because of the exceptional
circumstances, the national Department of Health has been working tirelessly
since late 2008 to secure further funding. Hogan said: "I can assure you that
it is the intention of the government, the ministry, the national Department of
Health and the MECs for health to ensure that all reasonable steps are urgently
taken to ensure that priority is given to resuming patient initiation in the
Free State. This is why we are actively seeking and securing additional sources
of funding for this purpose."
Minister Hogan has also called on stakeholders to immediately share with her
information where the care of a patient has been compromised due to financial
pressures, including places where the alleged stock out of any essential drug
has occurred. Hogan said: "This information is important so that I can take all
necessary steps to investigate the allegations and do what I can to ensure that
problems are effectively and promptly remedied."
The ministry regards communication with all stakeholders very seriously and
is engaging all MECs on these issues regularly. The national Department of
Health will also be meeting with the South African National Aids Council
Programme Implementation Committee (SANAC PIC) and SANAC Treatment Task Team in
the next few days to discuss ways of engaging in a co-operative partnership to
address these very important issues.
For further queries please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Cell: 079 517 3333
E-mail: hadebf@health.gov.za
Ayesha Ismail
Cell: 079 498 2898
Issued by: Ministry of Health
9 February 2009
