South Africa’s statutory health regulatory councils, together with the Department of Health (DoH), have condemned the looting and violence last week, especially those acts that targeted healthcare facilities and the medicines supply chain.

The councils involved include the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), the Health Professions Council of South Africa, the Office of Health Standards Compliance, the South African Nursing Council and South African Pharmacy Council.

Going forward, the councils, in collaboration with the DoH, are working closely to ensure the provision of healthcare and essential medicines, including chronic medicines and vaccines, are restored.

In a time of a significant pandemic brought on by Covid-19, acts of violence, looting and the disruption of service will “simply fuel the fire”, the bodies say in a joint statement.

The impact of the destruction on public health is already being felt by citizens, with members of the community deprived of healthcare, chronic patients being unable to access medicines, and Covid-19 vaccine sites, and the vaccines themselves, being lost to destruction and looting.

In the absence of healthcare services, the requisite medicines and vaccines, unnecessary deaths will occur, causing further “pandemonium”, including severe damage to the economy, they warn.

“We appeal to community, religious and political leaders to spread the word that these acts of criminality are not only harming the economy but are senseless and counterproductive,” the councils state.

Targeting pharmacies, doctors’ practices, clinics and other health care institutions in the midst of a pandemic is “detrimental”, especially to the old, frail and vulnerable people, they add.

Meanwhile, the councils also caution that the availability of controlled substances and medicines which have been looted or stolen in the affected communities may endanger the health of community members who may consume these without the supervision and guidance of health care professionals.

In this regard, the councils urge the public not to use any medicines that are not accessed through authorised healthcare institutions.

Further, they point out that such illegal activity can be reported to Sahpra, at mokgadi.fafudi@sahpra.org.za, or to law enforcement agencies.