Muchinga Province Assistant Secretary (AS) Evans Hichilema has warned Health workers in Mpika district of Muchinga Province to avoid the temptation of pilfering medicines meant for government health facilities.
Speaking in Mpika yesterday, when he paid a courtesy call on Mpika District Commissioner’s office, Mr Hichilema said government remained committed to ensuring that all Health facilities in Mpika and Muchinga province at large were well stocked with essential drugs.
Mr Hichilema stated that he visited Mpika to inspect various pharmacies and drug stores, aiming to determine whether they were illegally purchasing and reselling medicines intended for government health facilities.
He warned that government will not condone any practice of drug pilfering, as any case found will not be treated lightly by law enforcement officers.
Mr Hichilema pointed out that access to essential medicines and other health services was fundamental for a strong and healthy nation, which will in turn spur developmental activities and prosperity of the country.
He was, however, happy that after intensive inspections on various pharmacies and drug stores in the district, none of the pharmacies and drug stores were found wanting of pilfering medicines meant for government Health facilities.
“Immediately we finish conducting these inspections of pharmacies and drug stores here in Mpika, we shall proceed to Chinsali district and do the same inspections,” he said.
Meanwhile Mpika District Commissioner David Siame commended Muchinga Province Assistant Secretary (AS) and his team for conducting inspections to find out if medicine meant for government health facilities was pilfered to private pharmacies and drugstores in the district.
Mr Siame said such inspections must be conducted regularly so as to help completely eliminate pilfering of government drugs by self-individuals.
“There is need to put more resources to help curb pilfering of medicines meant for government Health facilities,” he said.
And Kauche Phiri, a Pharmacist at Chinsali General Hospital, who was also part of the team conducting inspections of pharmacies and drug stores in Mpika, expressed happiness at the manner the pharmacy owners were conducting their business in Mpika.
Mrs Phiri was elated that pharmacists in Mpika were strictly following all the required procedures needed for them to sell medicines to the general public.
“Observing required standards of stocking, buying and selling of drugs to the general public is important to promoting public health,” she said.
Meanwhile, Muchinga Province Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Assistant Investigation Officer Sydney Ngulube urged pharmacies and drugstore owners not to engage in any deals to pilfer government drugs.
Mr Ngulube added that pilfering government medicines had serious consequences, which can lead to instant dismissal for public workers.
“Am happy that in Mpika no pharmacy has been found selling medicine meant for government Health facilities,” he said.
