THE Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has barred 16 pharmaceutical operators in the retail and wholesale sectors from operating following a blitz which saw them at fault of different issues such as selling unregistered medicines and failure to account for prescription preparation medicines, HealthTimes has learned.
By Kuda Pembere
The deviant operators included individuals and premises, and some have been banned from operating till March 2024. Others will have their ban lifted in June 2026.
“Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) advises its stakeholders of the cancellation of the following Wholesale Dealer’s Permits. Premises Licences and Persons’ Licences. The cancellation periods will lapse on the dates indicated in the relevant column below,” said the Authority’s Director General Mr Richard Rukwata in a statement.
The ban comes hot on the heels of the Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro’s warning to pharmacies to stop the selling or dispensing antibiotics to patients without prescriptions.
Dr Mangwiro said government was already drafting a policy to regulate irrational dispensing of Antibiotics.
“Let me remind you that you have a critical role to play in combating Antimicrobial Resistance to preserve the ammunition we have in fighting infection. We continue to hear of the use of antibiotics irrationally and unabated issuing of antibiotics without prescriptions,” said Dr Mangwiro.
He emphasized on the need for community pharmacies to be professional and ensure AMR is nipped in the bud.
“A professional should be able to guard against unwarranted use and dispensing of Antibiotics without prescription. Professionalism must be restored. If we don’t do that, we will be exposing patients to harm. The Ministry will soon be embarking on an Antimicrobial policy that will promote and streamline access to the use of antibiotics. I urge you to remain professional in the discharge of your roles and responsibilities as we endeavor to attain an upper middle income status by 2030.”
Below is the list of pharmacies
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