South Africa has sufficient stocks of antiretroviral (ARVs), Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said.

"We have called all ten depots in the country and all reported to have enough stock, of up to 20 000 units," he said. "We are not running out of ARVs; the supply might be low. But this does not mean there are no drugs."

Motsoaledi was responding to media reports that six provinces were running short of ARVs.

Company fails to produced drugs

He called on South Africans who might know of people who were not receiving ARVs to contact the department.

"As a doctor I know what it means when a patient does not receive drugs.

"It means the whole process is reversed and it might develop into resistance, which will cost more money."

Motsoaledi said the problem of the low supply might have been caused by one of the companies contracted to produce the drug being unable to produce its quota.

(Sapa, May 2012) 

Read more:

ARVs: the truth

HIV/Aids