The Cipla Foundation’s ‘Sha’p Left’ initiative, which has seen 50 chronic medicine pick-up points set up in underserved communities across Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal, has now distributed more than one million patient medicine parcels to qualifying patients.
This chronic medicine pick-up initiative supports the National Department of Health Dablapmeds programme. This worthy programme is a free service for stable, chronic State patients, facilitating the convenient and swift collection of their regular medication at accredited pick-up points (PUPs) away from the usual state hospitals or clinics. This foster improved patient retention-in-care and frees up much-needed resources at congested Department of Health Facilities to create more access for other patients in need of acute and immediate care.
“It’s no secret that South Africa’s healthcare system has been severely overburdened in the wake of the global pandemic, which is why an initiative like this is so necessary and valuable,” says Paul Miller, CEO of Cipla South Africa. “Reaching the milestone of one million chronic medication parcels handed out since Sha’p Left was established is definitely something worth celebrating, and could not have been achieved without a committed team, and our valued partnership with the National Department of Health,” says Paul Miller, CEO of Cipla South Africa.
“Accessible trading hours, convenient locations, and the flexible and innovative modular infrastructure, people in need of chronic medication do not need to wait in long queues or endure frustrating administrative processes to get what they need. The process takes minutes and is hassle-free, which is in fact a game changer in terms of easing the burden on our health system and institutions.”
“Healthy people are productive people, better able to support their families and their communities. Adherence to required chronic medication is linked to improved clinical outcomes, which means less hospital admissions, decreased morbidity and mortality and reduced healthcare costs,” adds Miller.
“At Cipla, we believe that quality, affordable healthcare should be accessible by everyone, and we have worked hard to ensure that the Sha’p Left initiative, along with all the great work done by the Cipla Foundation, links to our ethos of “caring for life” and making a profound difference in a patient’s life,” concludes Miller.
*How to become part of this programme? Patients hoping to join this initiative need to ask their treating Health Care Practitioner if they qualify for the CCMDD/Dablapmeds programme.
