Member Benefits

PLASA constantly promotes the role of the pharmaceutical logistics service sector.

We highlight the vital part our members play in providing a safe, reliable and efficient healthcare delivery system. We do this by liaising with relevant government officials, and other industry stakeholders. We try to negotiate a better deal for our members, and also for other logistics service providers. If necessary we take issues of mutual importance direct to ministerial and industry forums for face to face meetings and, if appropriate, to the press.
Individual members are invited to share concerns with PLASA’s Executive Committee, whose prime riason d’etre is to manage PLASA’s affairs, but also to assist members, individually or together, to resolve operational problems.

Currently PLASA is busy working to resolve a number of issues common to all pharmaceutical logistics service providers.

Some of these issues are longstanding and embedded in legislation. The flawed Single Exit Pricing system, used to inadequately reimburse distributors and wholesalers, is just one example and has been, and still is the subject of constant negotiation with the Minister of Health and his Pricing Committee.

Other issues on the table for urgent discussion with the National Department of Health (NDoH) are firstly, the inconsistent legislation (Board Notice 50) relating to the minimum standards for the procurement, storage and distribution of fridge lines. Secondly, are PLASA’s efforts to adjust the current system to permit member wholesalers to distribute COVID 19 vaccines, to outlying rural areas.

A third important matter is PLASA’s involvement, together with the NDoH, B4SA and the Essential Services Committee (ESC), in an application to be designated essential service providers.

The resultant order designated that certain personnel should be essential, and that all wholesalers and distributors have an obligation to submit a Minimum Service Agreement (MSA) to the ESC. PLASA’s legal team provides a Minimum Service Agreement ‘template’ to assist all Members to complete and submit their individual MSA.

Other issues, as they arise, are put forward by PLASA members and discussed internally and then, by mutual agreement, submitted to the relevant authority for debate and discussion.
Although some complaints seem to fall on deaf ears, PLASA has the resilience, tenacity and capacity to continue arguing its case.

PLASA provides businesses of like mind the opportunity of sharing and debating mutual issues, and then speaking powerfully with one voice, rather than being one lonely voice in the wilderness.