The news in brief
A named opposition health spokesperson reports supply concerns ahead of a contract transition.
Michele Clarke, the Democratic Alliance's health spokesperson, reported complaints about contraceptive availability ahead of a national supply-contract transition. Her statement says the party pursued oversight queries. It is an attributable political alert, not an independently measured nationwide stock survey (World Contraception Day: DA concerned about contraceptive stock-outs as supply contract ends).
Earlier in September, the health department had explained its supply arrangements and equivalent products. The two statements have different dates and purposes. National procurement assurances cannot establish the stock in every clinic, and local complaints do not by themselves establish that contraception is unavailable nationwide (Health Department assures the public of stable medicine supply World Contraception Day: DA concerned about contraceptive stock-outs as supply contract ends).
Patients whose supply is interrupted should talk to the dispensing service about an appropriate alternative, referral and any additional protection needed. A medicine should not be substituted on the strength of a political statement or a similarity in packaging (National Contraception Clinical Guidelines).
Going further
This news item is part of a broader topic, which our page South Africa: contraception, abortion and drugs covers in detail.
Read the page: South Africa: contraception, abortion and drugs