Public hospitals and clinics in Gauteng now have access to more than 95% of essential medicines, following improved performance by the provincial medical supplies depot responsible for distributing pharmaceuticals across the public health system.

The Medical Supplies Depot (MSD), which manages medicine procurement and distribution for the province, achieved 91% medicine availability during the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, exceeding its target of 90%. According to the Gauteng Department of Health, this translated into medicine availability of over 95% at hospital and primary healthcare levels.

The department said the improved supply ensures that healthcare facilities can treat patients without interruptions caused by stock shortages, enhancing both patient care and working conditions for clinicians.

The depot also reported that none of its stock expired or was damaged during the quarter, far better than the allowable threshold of less than 2%. Officials said this indicates strict stock management and quality control measures to ensure only safe medicines reach facilities.

Quality assurance processes were completed within two working days for all depot-held medicines, achieving full compliance with regulatory standards. All orders were delivered according to schedule, resulting in a 100% success rate for timely deliveries.

In addition, the depot fulfilled 91% of line items ordered by healthcare institutions, significantly above the 80% target. More than 94% of supplier invoices were paid within 30 days, reflecting stable financial operations and the ability to sustain medicine supply.

Despite these gains, the department acknowledged ongoing challenges, including outdated warehouse systems and infrastructure. Plans are underway to upgrade the warehouse management information system and relocate to a new facility that meets regulatory requirements set by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and the South African Pharmacy Council.

Officials say these improvements aim to strengthen long-term reliability in the supply of medicines to Gauteng’s public health sector.