Eye Hospital short of drops – Sowetan LIVE

The Malicks’ mission was to collect medication for their partially blind son. They secured the fourth spot at 4am and waited until 7am to see the administrators.

“We come here every month and three times this year we did not get the correct eye drops. We are pensioners, we can’t afford to buy medication at the chemists.”

An outpatient nurse, who did not want to be named, said the hospital did not have Alomide, Fluorometholone or Natural Tears eye drops. She said they prescribed alternative medication to patients.

Sowetan visited the hospital on Monday and found a notice on the dispensary counter. It read: “Repeat prescription collected from Monday to Thursday from 7.30am to 11am, not Fridays.”

She is a pensioner and stretches her grant money to support five people. “Natural Tears costs R200 at the chemist. That is too much to take out from the R1325 I get,” she said.

Gauteng health departmental spokesman Prince Hamnca said the province’s medical depot had a 77% stock level and was monitoring the levels on a daily basis.

“Shortages of Panado and antibiotics have been reduced. The fixed dose antiretroviral combination is available in sufficient levels,” he said, adding that more deliveries were expected yesterday at Chris Hani Baragwanath and Charlotte Maxeke Academic hospitals.

“The shortages were noted when various hospitals complained. The national Department of Health issued notices to suppliers [who] were also given seven days to deliver all outstanding orders.”

Curated from Eye Hospital short of drops – Sowetan LIVE