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851 THURSDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2008
852
dose and in a maximum pack size of 720
milligrams) be listed as a Schedule 6 substance.
This implies that these medicines
may only be sold in a pharmacy on a
prescription from a medical practitioner.
Ephedra is a permitted food constituent
which allows alternative medicine distributors/manufacturers
to sell the product as a
herb containing supplement. Currently
complementary/alternative medicines are
not regulated, however, the Minister of
Health has published complementary medicines
comprehensive regulations in the Government
Gazette No 31334 of 22 August
2008 which will endeavour to regulate the
different disciplines of complementary
medicines including herbal medicines.
In the interim, the MCC has embarked on an
awareness campaign advising the public on
the use of ephedra-containing medication
and its rescheduling, particularly as a slimming
agent. The Department of Health is
following up with the complementary medicine
industry on the rescheduling of
ephedra-containing products.
MCC reports withheld
1458. Mr M WATERS (DA) asked the
Minister of Health:
Whether any of the experts who conduct
testing/analysis of any drugs at the Medicines
Control Council withheld their reports
(a) in 2006, (b) in 2007 and (c)
during the period 1 January 2008 up to the
latest specified date for which information
is available; if so, (i) when did this
happen, (ii) what were the reasons for the
reports being withheld, (iii) how many
reports were withheld, (iv) what was the
name of each product and (v) how was the
situation resolved? NW2166E
The MINISTER OF HEALTH:
Neither my Department nor I are aware of
reports that were withheld by experts of the
Medicines Control Council.
Eradication of bucket system
1498. Mr W P DOMAN (DA) asked the
Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry:
(a) Which provinces did not reach the
Government’s target date of December
2007 to eradicate the bucket system in
formal areas, (b) what was the backlog in
each of these provinces at that date, (c)
what is the new target date for the
eradication in these provinces and (d)
what is the (i) backlog in existing informal
settlements and (ii) the date to eradicate
the backlog? NW2243E
The MINISTER OF WATER AFFAIRS
AND FORESTRY:
(a) Which provinces that could not meet
the Government’s target date of December
2007 target of formal bucket
eradication were:
● Free State
● Eastern Cape
● Northern Cape and
● North West.
(b) The backlog in each of these provinces
at that date was as follows:
Region
Backlog end
December
2007
Backlog end
September
2008
Eastern Cape 3 234 634
Free State 43 115 9 295
Northern Cape 2 061 1 372
North West 600 0
Total 49 010 11 301
(c) New eradication target date is 31 March
2009.
(d) (i) The bucket backlog in informal
settlements has not been quantified
in this programme as it was targeting
buckets in formal areas only.
(ii) The target date for the provision of
all basic services, with specific refer-