The health minister may not agree‚ but the Stop Stock Outs Project (SSP) said on Friday that the “media play a vital role in the complex issue of drug stock outs in South Africa”.

The media‚ the SSP said in a statement on Friday‚ help by “providing accurate information‚ allowing those affected to have a voice‚ and helping to hold those responsible for finding solutions to account”.

On June 8‚ the organisation will hold a special briefing to “present and thoroughly explain” the findings of its 2014/2015 Stop Stock Outs Survey report three days ahead of its release.

The report will be embargoed until it is officially launched at the 7th International Aids Conference 2015 in Durban on June 11‚ and contains‚ the SSP said‚ “the latest‚ most comprehensive data on the frequency‚ prevalence‚ causes and effects of stock outs of essential medicines in South Africa’s public health system”.

“Overall‚ the report looks beyond acute stock outs of single items‚ to ongoing chronic shortages of lifesaving drugs based on two extensive surveys and reported cases that cause immeasurable anguish for patients and health workers at the coalface‚” the statement said.

This week‚ health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi attacked media reports that there were severe shortages of essential medicines at state hospitals and clinics.

Motsoaledi‚ who cut short his trip to the World Health Organisation in Geneva after the reports emerged‚ attributed the shortages to suppliers that did not inform the government in time when they experienced difficulties with supplies or decided to discontinue products.

SSP‚ however‚ said the reports it got from patients and health workers indicated only 20% of reported cases were due to manufacturing issues.

It said 80% of reported cases were due to challenges between medicine depots and clinics at provincial and district levels such as incorrect quantities of drugs ordered‚ inaccurate forecasting‚ and poor stock management.