Imagine having to procure 36 units of an important medicine, when your hospital needs only two, because of supplier minimum order quantities. One of the advantages that the National Surveillance Center (NSC) has brought to the South African public health supply chain is the ability to identify…
For many health care workers in South Africa, access to information on medicine availability is vital to adequately service the health care needs of their patients. To acquire this data, health establishment staff and pharmacy managers have been developing various medicine availability reports,…
Health establishment workers in South Africa have challenging jobs. Every day, they receive patients in need of essential medicines. The clinicians must provide the life-saving treatment and care that these patients need in the appropriate quantities, but that’s not all—they must also contend with…
The World Health Organization has provided guidelines for personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers to wear when caring for patients as the world fights the global COVID-19 pandemic. This PPE includes medical masks, gowns, gloves, and eye protection (goggles or face shields).…
When a person infected by tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa visits their local public sector clinic for treatment, they trust that the medicines they need will be available. What may seem simple to the patient is actually a complicated process dependent on open communication and strong…
Unathi Sonanzi is a post basic pharmacist’s assistant at Nkwenkwezi Clinic in the Makana sub district, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape. Nkwenkwezi Clinic is located in a semi-rural town where it is surrounded by difficult socioeconomic circumstances. Nkwenkwezi Clinic, like other primary health care (PHC…
