Mozambique authorities have identified and referred 15 cases of drug theft involving medical workers to the Prosecutor's Office over the past two years, and have also initiated 453 disciplinary cases on charges of misuse of medications, illegal charging, and inadequate service.
The Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, Fernando Rafael, stated that 15 cases of medication theft committed by medical workers were identified and sent to the Prosecutor's Office over the last two years. Of these cases, three were brought to court, and the respective defendants were convicted; one case resulted in a disciplinary penalty of suspension from work, and the remaining 12 are under preliminary investigation by the Prosecutor's Office.
In response to questions from deputies representing the Minister of Health, the official stated that only this year have Mozambican authorities detained eight individuals involved in the theft and robbery of medications from the national healthcare system. Furthermore, 15 private pharmacies were closed for selling these drugs, and four criminal cases were opened.
These medication seizures occurred following an inspection of 283 pharmacies. It was emphasized that the drugs currently on the market comply with quality standards and will be used to provide medical care to the population, not for purposes unrelated to public interest.
The data presented by Minister Fernando Rafael also shows that 453 disciplinary cases have been initiated over the past two years. These cases include 82 instances of illegal charging, 68 cases of inadequate service, 45 cases of misuse of medications, 25 cases of negligence, and 233 other violations. As a result of these proceedings, 60 employees were suspended, 48 were dismissed, 42 were demoted, and 68 employees were fined.
The Minister called on the public and all members of society to increase vigilance and report any practices of illegal sale of medications supplied from the National Healthcare System, as the Government believes that combating drug theft requires a comprehensive approach combining preventive measures, supervision, accountability, and active citizen participation.
The Government also pointed out that post-election demonstrations are one reason for the shortage of medications in medical institutions, and replenishing supplies may take at least 24 months. Added to this are growing restrictions on access to certain goods on the international market, particularly anesthetics, which contributes to the shortage of medications and materials necessary for providing medical care.
Nevertheless, it was guaranteed that the country would receive medical equipment within the next two months for adequate supply to medical institutions, with a note on the need for responsible use of these products, including improving hospital care.
Last month, Mozambique received medications and surgical equipment with a tracking system designed to strengthen control over distribution and prevent theft. This initiative is supported by the World Bank to improve public supply. The system allows tracking the path of goods using assigned box and pallet codes, including receipts and shipments from warehouses, as well as the final destination of the batches. Thus, entering the code of a specific product allows responsible persons to check its history and registered location from the moment it entered the system until the institution to which it was sent.
