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The automatic dispensing of chronic medication in the Western Cape is functioning again, provincial health MEC Theuns Botha said.
Many patients did not receive their medication at the start of April because of a delay caused by a change in service provider. Those affected were mostly in the metro, but a few facilities were affected on the West Coast and in the winelands.
The department had to revert to its manual packing system.
Botha said the contractor would resume deliveries of pre-packed prescriptions to many of the facilities offering the service.
In the next month, this number would increase until the full quota of new and existing patient scripts was achieved.
"We do apologise to our patients for the disruption and inconvenience this has caused, but believe that in the long term we will alleviate long queues at facilities and bring about an improved service," he said.
"I would assure all patients that alternative plans have been made to ensure that no-one should not receive essential medication."
Botha told 567 Cape Talk radio that the system would soon expand to other areas.
"What is very exciting is that we are expanding it now... to eventually cover the whole province and even then home deliveries," he said. (Sapa, April 2012)
Read more:
List of chronic diseases
