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🇿🇼 Zimbabwe /Elections & Politics

Govt Losing Millions As Health Workers Steal Drugs for Resale - Deputy Minister Says

From AllAfrica Zimbabwe · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Health workers are stealing and reselling medication meant for public health institutions, costing the government millions, according to Zimbabwe's deputy health minister.
  • The ministry is implementing a tracking system to monitor medicine movement and prevent theft.
  • Efforts are underway to address medication shortages through local partnerships and public-private collaborations to subsidize drugs.

Zimbabwe's government is losing millions of dollars due to health workers stealing and reselling medication, Deputy Health Minister Sleiman Kwidini stated. He confirmed that drugs intended for public health institutions are being diverted to private pharmacies. This issue was brought to light by Gutu South MP Pupurai Togarepi, who questioned the control mechanisms in place.

After buying medication, people steal from hospitals for resale in their pharmacies.

— Sleiman KwidiniZimbabwe's Deputy Health Minister Sleiman Kwidini explaining the issue of drug theft from public health institutions.

Kwidini admitted that medication access remains a challenge, with hospitals experiencing inconsistent supply. To combat the theft, the ministry has partnered with a company to install a tracking system. This system will monitor the movement of medicines from the national drug supplier, NatPharm, to hospitals and pharmacies, aiming to protect the supply.

The President, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, has said those who steal should be arrested.

— Sleiman KwidiniDeputy Health Minister Sleiman Kwidini referencing the president's stance on theft.

The deputy minister also addressed broader efforts to improve medication availability. The government is seeking partnerships to subsidize imported drugs and support local manufacturers. While Zimbabwe currently lacks a domestic drug manufacturing company, the government intends to assist local producers to make medicines more affordable and accessible to citizens. Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MP Blessing R. Makamure had initially raised concerns about residents struggling to access healthcare and being forced to purchase medication from private pharmacies.

We now have a tracking system that has been installed. With this new system, we are going to ensure that our medication is protected in hospitals.

— Sleiman KwidiniDeputy Health Minister Sleiman Kwidini detailing the new measures to combat drug theft.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by AllAfrica Zimbabwe. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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