Malawi Govt interdicts Poisons Board official over drug scandal

Malawi Government has interdicted acting registrar of the Pharmacy, Medicines and Poisons Board (PMPB), Aaron Sosola, for allegedly leaking confidential details of an impending K25 billion (about $100 million) tender at the Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) to some potential bidders.

Poisons Board chairperson Dr. Charles Mwasambo, who is also Principal Secretary for Ministry of Health, on Friday said the board interdicted Sosola on Thursday.

“We have interdicted him [Sosola]. I think that’s all I can say,” said Mwansambo.

Sosola is being accused of leaking names and quantities of all drugs in the impending drug tender to two prospective drug suppliers before the trust presented the same to the Office of the Director of Public Procurement (ODPP), Ministry of Health and Health SWAp donors for approval.

In an earlier interview, Mwansambo said they applied rules of natural justice when handling the matter in the board.

“When we got a letter from Central Medical Stores, the next thing was for the board to meet. I called for the board meeting on Monday. As rules of natural justice demand, we also heard the side of Mr. Sosola. He gave his side in writing,” said Mwansambo.

Sosola, who was sitting in CMST’s technical committee which handles drug procurement issues, on Thursday refused to comment on his implication in the scandal, saying he had decided to remain silent on the matter. He did not answer his phone on Friday to comment on his interdiction.

The Nation brought to light details of the scandal which has led the Central Medical Stores to issue a press statement on the same, calling upon all prospective bidders to also access the leaked tender document to level the playing field.

The statement was issued after the trust met with Health SWAp donors and Ministry of Health officials on Wednesday to decide the way forward on the tender.

The statement reads that CMST has also resolved to “set up teams to investigate the matter fully. Based on the results of the investigations, bar from all CMST procurement processes any officers and companies that have been involved in the malpractice.”

CMST chief executive officer Feston Kaupa said it was difficult to change the listing of the drugs after the leakage because the drugs in the tender were listed according to drug needs on the ground.

“The listing may not change because it is determined by the needs on the ground, so the needs are still there and the types of drugs to be bought are likely to be the same,” he said.

The Nation revealed that the leaked tender document contains 12 classes of over 23.6 million units of drugs and other medical supplies. Class A has 39 different types of tablets and capsules including 44 000 units of ibuprofen and 5 000 units of malaria drug quinine sulphate.

Class B has 37 types of injectables, while Classes C and E contain different kinds of vaccines and galenicals, respectively. The other classes contain items such as surgical dressings, sutures, surgical equipment, laboratory supplies, radiography materials and dental supplies.

Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) executive director Martha Kwataine said the leaked confidential tender details to the two prospective drug companies gave them unfair competitive advantage at the expense of other competent drug suppliers.