Pharmacies Must Not Demand Foreign Currency Because They Are Buying Drugs Using Swipe- Govt

In an interview at the close of the 67th East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) Health Community (Ministers of Health conference) in Victoria Falls yesterday, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr John Mangwiro said pharmacies must not demand foreign currency because they are buying from Government using swipe.

Said Mangwiro:

Drugs are still a problem but the situation is improving because we have moved to capacitate NatPharm to sell to private pharmacies and also supply Government health facilities with drugs. This will allow patients to get drugs at a much cheaper price and there is no need for pharmacies to demand foreign currency because they are using Real Time Gross Settlement or swipe to pay for the drugs at NatPharm. We have said NatPharm should import and distribute.

Responding to Government’s directive, Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe spokesperson Mr Portifa Mwendera said they have not received adequate foreign currency allocations.

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