Tag: Pharmacies

Zimbabwe Developer Launches Whatsapp Chatbot To Connect Zimbabweans To Pharmacies

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a move that is set to ease hurdles associated with accessing medicines and other essential drugs at community level, a Zimbabwean Chatbot Engineer, Blessing Museki and his team, have developed Cloomi, a Whatsapp Chatbot that is set to link millions of Zimbabweans to pharmacies. To date, 60 pharmacies across Harare have already partnered with the developers. HealthTimes had the opportunity to interact with a convenient platform which allows one to quickly check the availability of drugs and compare prices. The Chatbot’s user-friendly interface simplifies the process,…

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Pharmacies suspended for flouting Govt’s exchange control regulation

Kuda Pembere

SEVENTEEN pharmacies were caught red-handed using exhorbitant exchange rates ranging from ZWL$8 500 to ZWL$11 000 which will see their operating licenses forfeited, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development said. By Kuda Pembere A majority of these pharmacies operating in Kadoma and Mutare were found flouting exchange control directives by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in its ongoing investigations of businesses. Some of the pharmacies were found not accepting the local ZWL$ currency. “However, Government notes with concern that some market players continue to exhibit highly destabilizing forward pricing…

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Ministry of Health Reads Riot Act To Pharmacies Dispensing Antibiotics Without Prescriptions

Michael Gwarisa
Antibiotics

To curb to the proliferation of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) related infections, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has warned pharmacies to stop the selling or dispensing antibiotics to patients without prescriptions. By Michael Gwarisa This follows scientific data which affirms that Antibiotic dispensing without prescriptions is a major determinant of the emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) which has impact on population health and cost of healthcare delivery. Speaking at the Inaugural Joint Community Pharmacies Association (CPA) and Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Association (PWA) Joint Conference in Harare, Health and Child…

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#EXCLUSIVE: Pharmacies Defy Official US$1: RTGS$2, 50 Rate

NewsRoom

MOST pharmacies in Harare are still using the black market foreign currency exchange rate shunning the official rate of US$1: RTGS$2, 5, HealthTimes has established. By Kudakwashe Pembere In a survey around the city’s pharmacies, the publication discovered that they were charging between the range of US$1 as to RTGS$4 and RTGS$4,50. Most pharmacies even hiked the prices of their medicines in the US$. Asked about  the monetary policy view as presented by Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangundya, a pharmacist said it was about time they conceded…

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NatPharm Retail Pharmacies On Cards

NewsRoom

ZIMBABWE’S state run medical supplies distributor National Pharmaceuticals (NatPharm) will soon open retail pharmacies nationwide starting in Harare to counter the extortionate three tier pricing of medicines, a Cabinet official said on Thursday. By Kudakwashe Pembere The broadening of the company’s portfolio into retailing is expected to benefit  Zimbabweans currently bearing the brunt of forking out the elusive US$. This move will see NatPharm as a player in the cut-throat market thereby increasing competition. Addressing journalists after touring NatPharm, Health and Childcare Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said this move will…

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RBZ Injects US$6, 7 million To Allay Medicine Shortages

NewsRoom

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) yesterday pumped in US$6, 7 million to mitigate the shortage of much needed foreign currency for the supply and manufacturing of medicines in the health sector, a Cabinet Minister said on Friday. By Kudakwashe Pembere A cross section of the health sector called on the apex bank to consider allocating a chunk of the US$500 million line of credit announced in the Monetary Policy Statement last week to the health sector which for months has been enduring the foreign currency crisis which caused the…

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Pharmacies Charging Parallel Market Rates

NewsRoom

SEVERAL pharmaceutical retailers in Harare have resorted to charging all medicines especially critical drugs using a two tier pricing system as a way to stay afloat in the business dogged by foreign currency shortages, HealthTimes can exclusively reveal.   By Kudakwashe Pembere Investigations by this publication reveal that in this two tier system, the United States dollar has its own price while the Bond notes, Ecocash, RTGS have another which is a multiplication of five or three to the US currency. Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe (PSZ) president Portifa Mwendera in…

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AHFoZ decries price hikes in pharmacies

NewsRoom

By HealthTimes Correspondent The Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) has expressed concern over the huge increase in the price of drugs at most pharmacies saying this said could only worsen the suffering of patients. In a statement, AHFoZ, which represents the country’s medical aid societies, said over the past three weeks most pharmacies had increased the price of drugs by between 30 percent and 70 percent. This had resulted in huge shortfalls for medical aid society members. Some pharmacies, AHFoZ said, were rejecting medical aid cards and insisting…

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