×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Pharmaceutical wholesalers, govt up in arms over medicines’ ban

News
The Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Association (PWA) is up in arms with the provisions of a draft statutory instrument (SI), which seeks to impose an import ban on 23 medicines, claiming that the local industry had no capacity to ensure a sustainable supply chain of medicines and that prices would go up.

The Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Association (PWA) is up in arms with the provisions of a draft statutory instrument (SI), which seeks to impose an import ban on 23 medicines, claiming that the local industry had no capacity to ensure a sustainable supply chain of medicines and that prices would go up.

Phyllis Mbanje

Last year, the Industry and Commerce ministry with the support of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association pushed for the draft, saying there was need to promote local industry and this could only be done through effecting an import ban on certain medicines.

However, PWA has come out guns blazing saying the environment at the moment was not conducive for the local industry to meet the demand without pushing up prices.

“The pharmaceutical steering committee noted that there was insufficient capacity for the local manufacturers to produce the stated products,” Nyasha Bandason from PWA said.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting, where PWA presented its position paper, Bandason said previous closures of big companies like Caps Holdings and Datlabs Bulawayo LVP plant was an indication that there was need for supportive action.

“The list of drugs that are on the import ban include products used in emergency and life-threatening situations and a shortage would be catastrophic to the healthcare delivery systems,” she said.

The PWA said a similar ban in Nigeria had resulted in inflated domestic prices due to limited competition as only a few manufacturers were able to produce the medicines.

“This will increase smuggling of drugs as people will cross over to other countries where drugs would be cheaper. There will also be an influx of cheaper imitations,” Bandason said.

However, stakeholders at the meeting called for a balance where local industry would also be given an opportunity to flourish.

“We should also look at issues to do with resuscitation of the local industry and PWA should engage all stakeholders and get their opinions as well,” pharmacist Richard Rukwata, who is also the spokesperson for the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) said.

Both the Health ministry and MCAZ were not part of the formulation of the SI, a move which came as a surprise to many in the industry.

Cimas managing director, Roderick Takawira said medical aid societies would become expensive, given the current economic situation.

“Our concern is the current economic situation, the likely increases will make medical aid expensive for the ordinary person,” he said.

PWA maintained that they were not against the revival of local industry but were concerned about its capacity given the economic situation.