Garikai Fadzi
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association says it owes US$38m to foreign medical suppliers, a situation which has resulted in acute drug shortages on the market. Foreign suppliers are now demanding cash upfront for any drugs required as the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe last released funds for drugs six weeks ago.
The association’s chairperson, Emmanuel Majuru said this has led to most suppliers withholding supplies needed by Zimbabwe.
“In terms of legacy debt, we owe about $38m,” Majuru said. “Manufacturers owe about $6m to foreign suppliers, and importers of finished pharmaceutical products owe about $32.2m. So all in all, it’s about $38m.”
Majuru said the situation had been worsened by the RBZ’s failure to avail foreign currency for medical supplies in the last six weeks.
“The crisis that we are in is critical in that we are already noticing shortages of some main line medicines. We are experiencing shortages of painkillers and antibiotics.”
This has led to most pharmacies demanding foreign currency from customers who come to buy medicines.
“The crisis is deepened by the reluctance by our foreign suppliers to continue giving us medication on credit,” Majuru explained. “We don’t know what we are going to do to replace our stocks, as we have not funded the debt or the new supplies.”
With the Christmas season fast approaching, the situation at the country’s medical institutions has been exacerbated by the on-going industrial action by medical doctors. They are citing poor working conditions as their major grievance. The minister of Health and Childcare, Obediah Moyo, maintains that common ground will be reached through dialogue.
“I have already met the other representatives of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) and as government, we are ready and willing to meet the other group to find a solution,” Moyo said, disclosing that India had committed to provide $25m worth of drugs to Zimbabwe, “following an arrangement entered into by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Indian government.”
