Government has agreed to explore interim measures to procure antiretrovirals, while the national tender process is still on.

This follows a meeting between Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and all Health MECs (Minmec) in Johannesburg yesterday, to review progress in the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan for the Management, Care and Treatment of HIV and Aids.

Cabinet approved the plan last year to provide anti-Aids drugs in the public health sector.

The Minmec said interim measures should be explored and used in situations where sites were fully accredited to provide the drugs to improve the health of people living with Aids.

“Minmec acknowledged that flexibility in procurement methods was acceptable, provided that quality standards of the programme were not jeopardised,” said a statement from the Minister's office.

The National Department of Health will therefore coordinate this process through a national quotation system, to ensure that provinces do not buy drugs at different prices in the future. A statement said this temporary measure would not replace the national tender process, “which is far better suited to sustainable drug supplies, most competitive prices and longer term demand for ARVs that the South African programme may create”.

Minmec provided further guidance on future actions to be taken to speed up the implementation plan, including urgent accreditation of facilities that meet the accreditation requirements and interim measures to procure antiretroviral drugs.

It reiterated the approach that the plan should reinforce prevention efforts and strengthen the health system to enable it to provide a continuum of care.

It also noted that a total of 110 facilities in all 53 districts had been assessed and urgent action plans to address challenges and strengthen the capacity of facilities were developed.

“Teams from the Department of Health have commenced a second round of visits to provinces with a view to formally accredit facilities that are ready. The accredited facilities will be announced shortly”.

These facilities will begin to enroll patients and would do CD4 counts and viral load tests to establish progression of the disease.

They would also be providing interventions that prolong progression of the disease including nutritional and micronutrient supplementations, providing complementary and traditional medicines and improving step down care. An intensive training programme will be implemented to assist health workers to effectively provide these services. Most importantly, they would be ensuring that patients who qualified for antiretroviral therapy (CD4 count of 200 or below) began a treatment literacy programme to ensure adherence to treatment. The Minmec acknowledged that much progress had been made in implementing the Comprehensive Plan and provinces agreed to share best practices and to communicate with the public effectively, through the coordination of the National Department of Health.

Meanwhile, the national tender process is still on and so far more than 40 pharmaceutical companies have expressed interest to supply the drugs. The companies have until April 2 to submit their proposals, after which the most competitive prices would be secured. – BuaNews.