THE theft of medical drugs from Government institutions is among several other factors that are negatively affecting delivery of quality health service to deserving Zambians.

Quality health service could plummet as a result of pilfering of the drugs that patients need for their recovery. It is inhuman and outright greed for some people to engage in stealing medicines, which otherwise could have gone towards treating people flocking to Government health facilities.

The seizure of drugs bearing Government labels from a private clinic in Lusaka should serve as a wake-up call. It is an indication that many more private medical facilities do store medicines from Government institutions.

Government security wings such as the Zambia Police Service and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) should support the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority (PRA) in its quest to get rid of illegal elements in the provision of medical services. The two Government wings should join in the inspection and subsequently carry out thorough investigations and prosecution.

It cannot be ruled out that workers in Government institutions could be involved in the pilfering, for how could these drugs find themselves in privately run clinics? Managements in Government health institutions should introduce stringent security measures so that these drugs are not stolen and sold in private clinics. A strict monitoring mechanism could be worked out in all institutions.

The monitoring should not only be restricted to medical personnel, but also to the support staff including general workers.

The PRA and other bodies should intensify random inspections in all private clinics so that medicines suspected to have been stolen from the Government could be seized.

In fact inspections should be extended to small stalls and makeshift shops. More importantly, stakeholders including patients should report to security wings any organisation selling medicines with Government labels. While the Government is working hard to provide quality drugs and other health services, some people are out to make quick money. Such elements should not be spared.

Thus all citizens should get concerned and join in the fight against pilferage of drugs.