To ease congestion and minimise the chances of contracting the Coronavirus at its clinics, the City of Johannesburg has established a total of 381 registered chronic medication pick-up points where patients are able to collect their medication at venues that are more convenient for them. The pick-up points are available in all the City’s Regions.

The collection of medication from the Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution points previously called CCMDD has been re-branded as “Dablapmeds” – the shortcut to people’s chronic medication.

Millions of South Africans are dependent on chronic medication for conditions such as HIV, diabetes, high blood pressure and epilepsy. Not taking chronic medication as per the prescription could lead to the worsening of illness and in severe cases it can lead to death. “The fear of contracting Covid-19 has resulted in some chronic patients delaying collecting their medication at clinics,” says Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development Cllr Eunice Mgcina.

Patients with chronic illnesses who possess an identity document, passport or asylum permit and meet the criteria for being stable on chronic medication for 6 months or longer can use the pick-up points. Patients who do not have the above documents do not have to queue and can fetch their medication at their local clinic’s “Facility Pick-Up Point”.

Patients start their journey at a Primary Health Care Facility (PHC) where they can register to fetch their medication at their preferred pick-up points. If they meet the criteria, a six-month medicine prescription will be written. The patient will be given medication for the first two months. They can then collect medication for the subsequent months at their chosen pick-up point.

After six months patient need to return to their respective PHC facility for assessment and rescript where they will again be given medication for months 7 and 8 at the facility and be informed to collect prescriptions for months 9, 10, 11 and 12 at the pick-up points.
After 12 months; they would then return to the PHC facility for an annual clinical review and further tests.

“I can never over-emphasise the need for patients to continue taking their medication. This will help ensure that the patients can avoid relapses which would lead to more complications – particularly during this time when we are still battling the Covid-19 pandemic”.

“Other benefits that patients can enjoy include an SMS message to remind them to collect their medicines. Patients may also register a relative or person close to them to collect their medicine parcels. However, this may happen only if the person is registered”.

“Our Nurses and Health-Care Practitioners across all our 112 Primary Health Care Facilities in all 7 Regions in the City are always on hand to give advice to all patients about their medicines. And I urge all residents to help us with our “Dablapmeds” drive and take their medicines on time and regularly! We are in this together!” said MMC Mgcina.

ENDS
Issued by the City of Joburg
For enquiries, kindly send to mediaqueries@joburg.org.za