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ARVs drugs.
The Department of Health has moved to reassure the public that South Africa is not facing a shortage of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines, despite reports that two suppliers awarded contracts under the current ARV tender have entered business rescue.
In a statement issued this Friday, the department said it had noted media reports about the affected suppliers but stressed that measures were already in place to prevent any disruption to the supply of life-saving HIV treatment.
“The phenomenon of a company that has received a tender from the state going into business rescue or experiencing financial hardship is not new,” the department said, adding that it had planned for such eventualities by awarding the ARV tender to multiple suppliers as a risk-mitigation strategy.
According to the department, once it was notified of the supply challenges, it immediately engaged the affected companies to determine the causes of the problems and the timelines for resolution. At the same time, contingency plans were activated, with other contracted suppliers asked to increase production and supply volumes to cover any shortfalls.
“Based on current consumption data and stock monitoring, provinces have sufficient stock of the affected antiretroviral medicines to cover approximately three months of expected demand,” the department said in a statement. It added that stock levels were being closely monitored at both national and provincial levels to ensure uninterrupted availability.
The department emphasised that it would not allow the country to run out of ARVs.
“The department is alive to the consequences of the country running out of ARVs and will never allow this to happen,” it said, urging patients to continue collecting their medication as usual from health facilities.
The Department of Health reiterated that uninterrupted access to HIV treatment remains a national priority and assured healthcare workers and patients that all necessary measures are in place to maintain a stable supply of ARV medicines.
