NCOP
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 519
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 28 October 2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 33)
Mr D A Worth (DA-FS) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) Whether all public hospitals have an adequate supply of consumables
in order to effectively care for patients; if not, (a) what are the
reasons for the shortage at each hospital in each province and (b)
when will these hospitals have adequate supply; if so, what are the
relevant details;
(2) whether his department has any plans to address these shortages; if
not, why not; if so, what plans?
CW622E
REPLY:
1) Yes, however shortages might occur from time to time and in different
provinces at different times.
a) Reasons for shortages that might occur are suboptimal supply
chain management at different levels and the non-awarding of
certain tender items due to quality problems of items on offer.
b) Which specific hospitals is the Honourable Member talking about?
May the Honourable Member please be specific. We have never had
all hospitals in the country running out of supplies.
2) Yes. Whenever any shortages occur, we deal with the situation as
determined by circumstances.
END.