Drug theft is costing government billions every year but authorities are failing to clamp down on the theft, the ministry of health says.
MacPhail Magwira, principal secretary in the Ministry of Health quoted a study carried out in 2013 which showed that a staggering MK7 billion (US$11 million) is lost due to drug theft.
Magwira was speaking at Bingu International Conventional Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe during the launch of two campaigns to fight drug theft in the country; The Global Fund campaign, ‘I Speak Out Now’ and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) campaign, ‘Make a Difference’ (MAD).
He said the ministry has since introduced several measures in order to curb the malpractice.
“We have a Unit on Drug theft investigation which comprises an officer from the Malawi Police, the ministry and auditors, these are the people who will be going out in all the health facilities to inspect and verify the availability of drugs in the health facilities,” said Magwira.
He added that other research results which are yet to be released, show that not much has been improved which means the trend is still going on.
U.S Ambassador to Malawi, Palmer said individuals in health facilities across the country are intentionally stealing huge quantities of drugs from clinics and selling them elsewhere, including across borders.
“They are doing this to profit personally, they are stealing from government of Malawi, they are stealing from U.S government and most seriously they are stealing from the people of this country who need these lifesaving drugs,” said the Ambassador.
To report stolen anti-malaria medicine, government and U.S government have established the toll-free hotline 800 00 847 for land lines, 847 for mobile phones or send an email to [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].
why is malawi always pleading…?¿¿
The thing is dat we are not poor materially only but also mentally, munthu wakuda ndi nyan basi amazibela yekha.
You Just Talking,you Dont Want To Take Action To Those Who Arrested
Apa mbava zenzen ndi amaudindo.
The evils of Democracy & Human Rights.
If you really lose more money then I think you won’t spare anyone involved in this malpractice
Which government will be free from corruption they are killing us because without drugs there is no life in our country. Stop that please
Onse otelewa atsileni petro tichepetse chiwengelo a nthu akuba dziko mwathu awonjeza zedi let deal with them
We live wth these criminals in our community we knws dem & we r the ones who use 2 buy dese stolen medicine,Whenever w report 2 police abt these criminals dey do catch dem after some hrs dey r out,reason dey corrupt da policemen dat is why many pple remain silent 2 report this coz its a waste of tym
what do yuh think cn be the best solution to deal wth such pipo.
Kuba sikuzatha koma kuchepeko,ngati amaba patient what about doctor hhhh
kkkkkk mpaka patient zafika pa worse
send a thief to catch a thief
First investigate the ministers and police then you will manage to fight with these thugs.
katangali ukuchoka kumpando..nde pali mau oti konzani kaye kapasi kut kapamwamba katsike…… ngat kunko kukuchitika katangale anthu otsatila angat ?????
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tkawapeza okubawo tiwaphe basi coz akuphesa anthu ot akanachila isa! ma billion? ha
Gud, kumangowawotcha basi. Anthu achabechabe.
DONT JUST TALK YOU MUST TAKE ACTION BY ARRESTING ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN STEALING DRUGS IN HOSPITALS TALKING WITHOUT TAKING ANY ACTION ITS A WASTE OF TIME