Council Of Churches Demands Inquiry Into HoneyBee Pharmacy
The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has demanded that a commission of inquiry be set up to investigate the health effects of substandard drugs and medical equipments supplied by HoneyBee pharmacy.
General secretary Fr Emmanuel Chikoya said the council was greatly concerned by the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority’s (ZAMRA) decision to recall HoneyBee products only after they had been on the shelves for more than five months.
Fr Chikoya said the recalling of drugs and protective equipment was a sign that ZAMRA was not following standards and procedures when acquiring and distributing drugs for the general public.
“We therefore, condemn in the strongest possible terms, the supply of unsafe and substandard health supplies to the general public and the healthcare system in the country,” he said.
The CCZ also praised the government’s decision to sack health minister Chitalu Chilufya and permanent secretary Mulalelo Kakulubelwa for their involvement in the scandal.
The church group’s comments are the latest development in the scandal surrounding HoneyBee Pharmacy, after a parliamentary inquiry found that the company had supplied defective medical equipment to the Ministry of Health, including mouldy paracetamol tablets and leaky condoms.
The Ministry of Health has also been criticised for issuing HoneyBee with a contract to supply medical kits worth $17 million without ensuring that the company met the necessary standards.
Speaking on the extent of the damage caused by the scandal, Fr Chikoya said it was “heartbreaking” to imagine the effects which the defective medical supplies will have had on Zambian citizens.
“On behalf of the CCZ ecumenical membership and the citizens of Zambia, we demand for a commission of inquiry to be instituted in order to determine the extent of the damage caused to the health of many Zambians who were exposed to the substandard drugs and personal protective products that were supplied by HoneyBee Pharmacy and ZAMRA,” he said
He added that “as a Church we are extremely concerned that while the country is battling with a global pandemic and should be working round the clock to ensure that citizens are protected from all other ailments, government through Ministry of Health which has the mandate to protect people’s lives allowed the distribution of defective drugs to its citizens.”
Fr Chikoya also urged the Anti-Corruption Commission to speed up its investigations into HoneyBee, which have been in progress since August 2020.
“Our prayer goes to the affected citizens who, for the past five months, have been exposed to the sub-standard drugs. We urge all affected citizens to be vigilant and seek legal redress where this is applicable,” he concluded.