Police in Lundazi District have apprehended two health workers for theft of essential drugs at the district hospital.
Eastern Province Acting Commanding Officer David Simwanza has confirmed to ZANIS the arrest of the two health workers, a pharmacy technologist and a cleaner from the district hospital.
The Police Commanding Officer says that the duo is being investigated over theft of Coartem, an anti-malaria drug, and Cytotec drugs for termination of pregnancy.
The names of the duo have been withheld for now.
And Lundazi District Health Director Dr Davy Wadula Zulu, who is saddened by the pilfering of medicines, said the government was losing a lot of money because of workers who were stealing drugs from the hospital.
Dr.Zulu has disclosed that his office has constituted a task force to audit medicines in all the health facilities in the district.
He has charged that his office will weigh heavily on selfish workers who are in the habit of stealing drugs from hospitals and clinics.
And a concerned citizen in Lundazi has also observed that drugs were being sold openly to unsuspecting members of the general public.
Lameck Kumwenda stated that pilferage of drugs in hospitals was causing a needless shortage of essential medicines in health facilities in the district.
He alleged that most drugs, such as Lignocaine used for dental operations, and Cytotec used for safe abortion, are sold to private clinics and pharmacies.