MINISTRY of Health Spokesperson Dr Abel Kabalo says HoneyBee Pharmacy will have to replace the spoilt medical drugs which it supplied to government.
Recently, Zambia Medical Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) director-general Bernice Mwale ordered HoneyBee to recall all batches of discoloured Paracetamol Tablets which it supplied to the Ministry of Health within 14 days.
And in an interview, Dr Kabalo said government could accept a product which it cannot use.
“We cannot get a product that we cannot use. That means that the supplier will have to replace the drugs. We cannot receive drugs that are not fit for our people to use. Our officers are really trained in what we call pharmacovigilance who are always alert and ensure that the drugs that we give to our people are safe. We are very alert in ensuring that the drugs that we give to our people are of good quality,” Dr Kabalo said.
He said just like food, some drugs may also get spoilt along the chain of supply adding that his ministry is always alert to ensure that it dispensed good quality medicine to the people.
“And it’s not everything. It’s like even in a food chain, even when you are supplying food, you have to ensure that the food that you are supplying is good. And I think that’s the kind of alertness that we have as a ministry. Those things if you are aware, just like food, they have an expiry date. Things change as they stay on the shelves and that kind of stuff. That is why I am saying that our officers are being trained in pharmacovigilance to ensure that the drugs that we give to our people are of good quality. And that’s how those things were identified as well,” said Dr Kabalo.
One Response
If the officers are well trained and alert, how did those substandard drugs find themselves at health facilities and consequently being given to patients?
Secondly, how are you going to take care of the potential damage to patients that already took those drugs? Any compensation?
Thirdly, do we really have people that are tasked with responsibility to ensure that all drugs that come into this country are of acceptable standard and if yes, what desplinary measures have been taken against such officers? In the recent past we have seen a number of drugs being recalled after distribution to the health facilities which is a clear indication that these officers are compromised or simply incompetent to say the least.