Mutharika talks tough on drug theft
The arrest of a Mzuzu Central Hospital (MCH) cleaner who was about to board a Lilongwe-bound bus with a carton of medical drugs without requisite papers has pushed President Peter Mutharika to issue a stern warning: “This kind of nonsense has to stop forthwith.”
A visibly angry Mutharika led the clarion call for an end to drug theft in public health facilities when he opened the 370-bed Nkhata Bay District Hospital on Monday.
The President seemed keen for an update on the donor-demanded war on drug theft, which reportedly costs the country’s donor-dependent healthcare system almost K5 billion (about $7.75million) a year, as he asked Nkhata Bay district health officer Albert Mkandawire how safe drugs will be at the newly-built hospital.
The health official assured Mutharika that the facility has a secure bulk store and foolproof pharmacy to curb the costly malpractice which puts lives of poor patients at the risk of dying of treatable conditions.
However, neither the President nor Minister of Health Peter Kumpalume could desist from making mention of Kondwani Kanthenga, 37, the MCH cleaner whose box of malaria drugs and antibiotics led to the recovery of 12 more cartons of assorted medical drugs and equipment when police raided his home on Saturday night.
The consignment bore Ministry of Health labels pointing to MCH where the suspect works as a laboratory attendant.
Mutharika threatened to fire all public servants depriving health facilities of drugs.
“We’ll deal with you, even those who steal a pill of malaria will not be spared. This is not just criminal. It is inhumane, sinful and it endangers lives. It must stop and stop forthwith,” he said.
Speaking before the President, Kumpalume earned applause when he said time for suspending health workers who steal drugs is over.
“We will track you. We will fire you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you. We will deal with you,” he said.
He thanked the police for apprehending those who steal drugs.
Mutharika might have opened the K4.354 billion (about $6.7million) Nkhata Bay District Hospital on Monday, but government will have to cough up to K300 million (about $465 000) annually for Kanthenga, 37, the MCH cleaner whose box of malaria drugs and antibiotics led to the recovery of 12 more cartons of assorted medical drugs and equipment when police raided his home on Saturday night.
The consignment bore Ministry of Health labels pointing to MCH where the suspect works as a laboratory attendant.
Mutharika threatened to fire all public servants depriving health facilities of drugs.
“We’ll deal with you, even those who steal a pill of malaria will not be spared. This is not just criminal. It is inhumane, sinful and it endangers lives. It must stop and stop forthwith,” he said.
Speaking before the President, Kumpalume earned applause when he said time for suspending health workers who steal drugs is over.
“We will track you. We will fire you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you. We will deal with you,” he said.
He thanked the police for apprehending those who steal drugs.
Mutharika might have opened the K4.354 billion Nkhata Bay District Hospital yesterday, but government will have to cough up to K300 million annually for
