Free State gets R9.5m for ARVs

2008-11-12 22:15

Bloemfontein - The Free State received R9.5m to address its shortage of antiretroviral medication, the health department said on Wednesday.

Deputy director-general for strategic health programmes, Yogan Pillay, said the Free State had a shortage of ARV drugs due to budget constraints.

"The Minister of Health Barbara Hogan has directed that we engage urgently with the province to support them to respond to this challenge," said Pillay.

He said other measures would also be implemented immediately.

This included getting the donor community to assist in the continuity of the programme in the province.

A team of senior officials from the national department would also work with the provincial department to find a way to resolve its financial problems.

Pillay said it was important that patients in the ARV programme and those entering it should not be compromised as a result of budget difficulties.

"We want to reassure members of the public that we are working with urgency on resolving the problem, jointly with our counterparts in the Free State," he said.

Earlier the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) expressed its concern about the Free State's failure to provide ARVs.

Provincial organiser Ntsime Mahloko said the organisation was concerned because patients were sent home without being given alternative dates to come back for treatment.

"The message given to these patients by the employer was that they must go and die at home," he said in a statement.

- SAPA