Ritshidze – a community-led monitoring system developed by several HIV-related organisations, like the Treatment Action Campaign, Positive Action Campaign, and Positive Women’s Network, among others – has released its latest report with some grim findings pertaining to the situation in the North West.

Ritshidze Data Project Officer, Ndivhuwo Rambau, tells OFM News that stockouts and shortages of antiretroviral and  tuberculosis medication and health products have caused disruption, confusion, costs and have also detrimentally affected treatment adherence. She says 8% of clinics in the North West experienced stock-outs or medication shortages and this has led to facility managers being forced to send patients away empty-handed. Rambau adds that 46% of patients were provided with an alternative medication, whilst others did not receive full medication.

“This year there were 502 reports of different medicines, contraceptives, and vaccines being out of stock in total across 57 facilities. This is down from 895 reports across 57 facilities last year, and 26% of patients said that they or someone they knew had left the facility without the medicine they needed. The North West scored worst across all provinces monitored on this indicator,” said Rambau.

Rambau says the stock-out crisis needs an urgent turnaround strategy in the North West province. She adds that the report revealed that the worst-hit districts in the current year are Ngaka Modiri Molema, Bojanala Platinum, and Dr Kenneth Kaunda, followed by Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati.

Stock-outs are defined by the World Health Organisation as the complete absence of a required medicine for at least one day at a storage or delivery point.

OFM News has sent an enquiry to the North West Health Department and is waiting for a response.

OFM News