Stop Stockouts report shows dire shortage of contraceptives, lack of healthcare training

The Stop Stockouts campaign has been working with community-led organisation the Ritshidze project to monitor and collect data on medicine stockouts between April and June 2022. On Tuesday, the campaign released a report titled, Access to Contraceptives in South African Public Health Clinics.

Dr Indira Govender of the Rural Doctors Association of South Africa said at the release of the report that of the more than 15,000 women surveyed in all provinces apart from the Western Cape and Northern Cape, 82% reported having to leave medical facilities without their medication.

Of that 82%, 40% said they did not receive contraceptives, followed by other medicines and tests accounting for 19%, with 17% being vaccines.

Sixty-seven percent of the patients were given alternative medication, with nurses recommending they switch to a different contraception not of their choice, and with no clear indication of when the shortages would be resolved. 

“But whether actual stock is there for the service to be functional is another question,” said Govender.

She highlighted that after male condoms, the second most requested contraceptive was injectables showing that it is the preferred choice for women. However, 76% of patients reported it as unavailable or out of stock.

Govender said there could be a range of reasons for stockouts, from procurement to delivery. The process could also be hampered by staff not knowing how to manage contraceptive treatment, when to expect more stock, as well as supplier contracts coming to an end.

“As women, we use contraceptives not only to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but also to improve our health,” said Treatment Action Campaign nurse Sihle Shabalala, who was on the panel presenting the report.

She said the switching and stopping of contraception methods was not healthy and took an emotional toll on women, as well as having physical side effects. Shabalala said that in her work as a nurse she had noted that some women, when unable to access the contraceptive of their choice, stopped contraception altogether.

Sexual and reproductive health nurse Lucy O’Connell described the report as “alarming”, but said it shone a light on many health system issues affecting contraceptive supplies and shortages. 

She spoke of her experiences of a lack of support for frontline health workers who she said were more than aware of community needs, yet had to deal with issues of under-resourcing, under-staffing and work overload. They often worked without proper supervision and training on contraception methods that would last longer for patients.

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