Malawi installs CCTV cameras to combat drug theft
Malawi government says it has completed installing CCTV cameras at Central Medical Stores in a bid to fiercely combat rampant medical drugs in its public hospitals.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe said in an interview that the next phase would be to install the CCTV cameras in central hospitals before rolling it out in district hospitals.
This announcement comes just a day after the US threatened to pull out its massive malaria drug aid package because of theft concerns, and if the US government withdraws the free malaria drug aid, over six million Malawians, especially children, would die each year due to malaria or its related diseases like shortage of blood in the body.
Chikumbe parried away allegations that the ministry was panicking following the US governmemt threats, saying the CCTV cameras at the Central Medical Stores were stored last year.
“As government, we have always been concerned about these thefts. This is why we are installing the CCTV cameras in drug storage facilities and pharmacies,” he said.
It is estimated that 25 percent of drugs in public hospitals are stolen mostly by clinicians.
“What we are doing is not a reaction to the US. We just want to be vigilant. We want this theft to come to an end,” he said.
He said a donor, whom he did not name is funding the project to an undisclosed amount, only saying it is a huge amount of money.
The US gives Malawi 95 percent of free malaria drug in public hospitals through the US president’s malaria initiative.
esync security solution -Chennai
Athu akuda inu opanda nzeru,kukupasani makhwala kuba ?sono othandizawo aziti chani?kamuzu was not black muziwerenga athuokuda kutembereredwa basi.muyikepo zungu PA u vice or u president jobeki ukichita bwino chifukwa cha azungu Zambiaso inu makani ngat muli ndi zeru
ndimaona kuti popeza edzi ikuchedwa kutipungula ndiye mwina malungo angatithandizeko population control. serioisly we’re just too many in this country
Kkk i dont think this wil help alot .. Cctv and the stock cards are just diffent things… The real players in these practices wil not be deterred by cameras..
Very good inspiring details about all people- thanks by thirumalia
most private clinics and drug stores are owned by people that are working in the public hospitals…this is conflict of interest as there are high chances of taking drugs for their benefit. A law should be passed to stop these govt employees from owning clinics and drug stores.
A Bakili munayambitsa zoipa Lero aliyense a kuba mwana size yake.
Mr president this challenge is because all of u in the multi party system r theives and corrupted. If everybody of that office is exemplary and fight against this then the problem magnitude would have reduced.
cash gate is everywhere the guards r letting govt items out for their survival.
The system has the battery back up when there is aload shed
This is good development. this is going to help to a certain extent.
Well done ziko lopanda madraks ,ivory , drugs traffiking cant go up