Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Patience Nyangove
10 September 2007
Harare — GOVERNMENT has launched investigations into allegations that counterfeit and adulterated anti-retroviral drugs have flooded flea markets and hair salons where they are being sold.
The Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr David Parirenyatwa said the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe was probing the matter.
"The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare - through the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe - is charged to monitor the situation and is already on the ground carrying out investigations," Dr Parirenyatwa said.
After Uganda, Zimbabwe is the second country in Africa that has recorded a decline in its HIV/Aids prevalence rate from a peak of 24,6 percent in 2002 to 18,1 percent at the end of last year.
Dr Parirenyatwa said people living with HIV and Aids should buy ARVs from registered pharmacies, clinics and hospitals only.
"People should not go to markets to purchase these vital drugs. These fake drugs increase chances of one becoming resistant to treatment and it becomes even more expensive for that person to remain on treatment," he said.
The prohibitive cost of ARVs at private pharmacies and, in some cases, unavailability, have fuelled the illegal market for the life-prolonging drugs.
Currently, ARVs cost between $2 million and $10 million at most pharmacies, an amount which is beyond reach of most people who require them.
Only those who are on the Government's anti-retroviral treatment programme are accessing the drugs for free.
According to a report issued by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe recently, individual drug importers had flooded the local market with ARVs which they are selling from unlicensed locations, which include flea markets and salons.
The report said the medicines might have been subjected to inappropriate and hazardous storage conditions, affecting their quality and effectiveness.
However, 90 percent of those infected with HIV are not aware of their status while 600 000 of those carrying the virus have signs and symptoms of Aids and require various forms of treatment.
Currently, 300 000 people are in urgent need of ARVs while around 80 000 are already on ART.
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