By Chisomo Phiri
Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has vowed to take a tougher stance on drug theft by urging the judiciary to prosecute offenders so that they face the fullest extent of the law.
Chiponda made the remarks on Friday in Lilongwe during the handover ceremony of drugs from the World Health Organization (WHO) to the Malawi Health Ministry.
This comes as the country struggles to contain the theft of essential medicines, which has compromised healthcare delivery services.
“We have installed computers and CCTV cameras in central referral hospitals to monitor and track the flow of medicines, and we are asking all Malawians to come together to address this challenge,” said Chiponda.
On her part, WHO Country Representative Dr. Neema Kimambo said that they want to ensure that everyone has access to health services through the availability of essential medicines.
“For everyone to have access to healthcare, it means having availability of essential medicines, and this is part of strengthening the health services,” said Kimambo.
“We have brought different medicines based on the needs of the health system in Malawi, and as WHO, we come to support Malawi as part of our emergency program,” she added.
The World Bank provided financial support through WHO for a total amount of $9 million from the Malawi COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project for the emergency procurement of vital medicines and other medical supplies during the period of disaster in 2022 and 2023.
