WESTERN CAPE NEWS - The Western Cape Government has called for urgent intervention at South African ports to address potential logistical bottlenecks that could be delaying the delivery of essential medicines to public healthcare facilities.

Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness Mireille Wenger has written to national Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy, requesting assistance in identifying and resolving possible delays in the processing and movement of imported medicines, particularly at Durban harbour.

The request comes as healthcare facilities continue to face medicine supply constraints, with the provincial government warning that avoidable delays could further affect patients who depend on essential treatment.

“This is about protecting the health, wellbeing and dignity of patients who depend on these medicines. Every unnecessary delay in getting medicines into the country is another delay in getting them to the patients who need them,” Wenger said.

The precise causes of the port-related delays have not yet been established. The provincial Department of Health and Wellness is seeking urgent coordination between the relevant authorities, terminal operators and other stakeholders to identify and address potential obstacles.

Medicine testing adds to delivery timelines

Imported medicines must undergo quality testing before they can be distributed to healthcare facilities in South Africa. According to the provincial government, this process can take between three and four weeks.

Wenger said the required testing procedures must remain in place to protect patient safety, but stressed that avoidable delays elsewhere in the supply chain should be addressed.

“Patient safety must always come first, and the necessary testing processes cannot be compromised. However, when medicines still need to undergo several weeks of testing after arriving in the country, eliminating avoidable delays becomes even more important,” she said.

The provincial government believes that improving the movement of medicine consignments through ports could help reduce unnecessary waiting time before the products reach healthcare facilities.

Multiple factors contributing to shortages

The request to the Transport Minister forms part of the Western Cape Government’s broader efforts to address medicine shortages.

Wenger has previously raised the issue with national Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and called for medicine supply challenges to be prioritised for discussion at the National Health Council.

The shortages have been attributed to a combination of factors, including manufacturing constraints, international shipping disruptions, supplier backorders, procurement challenges and regulatory delays.

Provincial healthcare teams have been working to manage inconsistent availability by sourcing alternative medicines and redistributing available stock between facilities.

However, Wenger said these measures were becoming increasingly difficult to sustain as shortages continued.

“While there is no single solution, we must act wherever we can make a difference. This requires cooperation across government and industry to address challenges within our control,” she said.

The provincial government is calling for coordinated action to identify and resolve potential port delays while maintaining the quality and safety checks required before medicines can be distributed to patients.

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’