All over the country, hospital users are complaining about the lack of medicines in their pharmacies.

For example, in Nampula, between 2022 and 2024, six health sector professionals were found to be diverting drugs for illegal sale.

According to the provincial chief medical officer, Selma Xavier, these are pharmacy agents who worked in the health units located in the districts of Moma, Larde, Murrupula and Nampula. They have all been expelled from the National Health System.

"Last month we were working in the Juma market and some medicines were collected, we had other cases that were found in the Murrupula district. We had six cases of colleagues from the pharmacy who were expelled from 2022 to 2024, we followed up the case and found their guilt in this illegal sale of medicines."

Although he doesn't assume that medicines are being diverted, Xavier claims that these supplies are being sold illegally in some of the province's fairs and markets.

She said that multi-sectoral work was underway to investigate the scheme to remove the drugs from the warehouses and place them on the illegal market, such as fairs and markets.

Meanwhile, Xavier said that Nampula province has all the drugs it needs for the health units. Sources: Ikweli and News