Renowned medical practitioner Dr Billy Rigava is the new
chairman of the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) following his
appointment by Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo in Harare
yesterday. Dr Rigava, a past president
of the Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZIMA), the Private Hospitals Association
(PHA) and many other professional bodies, was appointed together with
anaesthetist Dr Northburga Harunavamwe Chifamba, procurement and supply
specialist Dr Johnson Shonhe, lawyer Advocate Rachel Chibaya and banker Mr
Gerald Gore.
Dr Chifamba is one of the professionals who separated the
Murehwa siamese twins at Harare Central Hospital in 2014.
NatPharm managing director Mrs Flora Sifeku will serve as
an ex-offico board member. Three other board members are yet to be appointed.
The new members replace the Dr George Washaya-led board,
which was dissolved by Dr Moyo sometime last year.
Inaugurating the board members in Harare yesterday, Dr Moyo
challenged the team to work towards addressing drug shortages and corruption at
the Government’s sole drug procurer.
He said national drug stocks should be increased to reach
100 percent from the current 65 percent. “You must ensure that NatPharm moves
20 000 kilometres from where it is now by making sure that you improve on
stocks such that all our district hospitals are fully stocked with medicines.
“For us to achieve these stocking levels, we need a competent
board and a competent management team,” said Minister Moyo.
He said in addition to satisfying public health
institutions, the NatPharm board must also ensure that they serve the private
sector.
Speaking after the board’s appointment, NatPharm’s new
chairperson Dr Rigava said his board was immediately going to run with the
country’s vision of establishing bonded warehouses.
Dr Rigava said they will be engaging with all suppliers of
medicines to turn this vision into reality.
“Working with the capable minds that the minister has put
up, we will be coming up with innovative ideas of improving the national drug
stocks while adhering to Government’s policy,” said Dr Rigava. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment