The Democratic Alliance (DA) said yesterday that up to 50 critical medicines are out of stock in the public healthcare system, and that it wants Parliament’s Health Committee to investigate the issue.

“The DA is raising a red flag on a serious stock-out of chronic medicines in the public healthcare system. Currently, up to 50 critical medicines are out of stock, and patients whose health and wellbeing depends on state medicine have no way to access their pills,” said Michele Clarke, the DA’s spokesperson on health.

Clarke said she was seeking a special meeting of the Health Committee, with appearances by the Minister of Health, the Department of Health, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), and two other major industry bodies, Pharmaceuticals Made in South Africa and the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa.

She said the medicines that were out of stock included those for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, nerve pain, seizures, anxiety disorders, and intestinal worm infections.

“The DA has reports of some local drug manufacturers blaming new SAHPRA regulations and the single exit price as contributing to a declining local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, which impacts medication availability. Parliament must probe this so that we can bring an end to medicine stock-outs,” Clarke said.