FORMER War Veterans minister and ex-Makokoba legislator
Tshinga Dube recently came face to face with the desperation many Zimbabweans
face after a pharmacy demanded that he pays for his medication in United States
dollars.
The country is facing a serious drugs shortage, with some
medical aid societies, private health institutions and pharmacies now demanding
payment in US dollars or the black market price of the green back in bond notes
or electronic transfer.
The Pharmaceutical Wholesalers’ Association (PWA) said this
was because drug suppliers were now demanding payment upfront for new orders
after the suspension of credit orders over an outstanding $27 million debt.
Dube, who is also the Zanu PF deputy finance secretary,
said the experience made him appreciate the challenges that many ordinary
people have been going through.
“I personally went to a pharmacy to get some drugs, but
failed to purchase any as they demanded foreign currency. I had ordered the
drugs, but upon producing my bank card to make a payment, they flatly refused
any electronic payment, insisting I settle my bill with the USD, which I didn’t
have,” Dube said.
He was speaking to journalists on the side-lines of a
health expo held at Jairos Jiri centre in Nguboyenja high-density suburb on
Saturday.
“I then asked myself that if I can have this kind of a
problem, what about the disadvantaged or those that are unemployed, who are
desperate for life-saving drugs, but cannot access them because they do not
have any US dollars?” he asked.
“The situation is very desperate and it is this status quo
that pressurised me to have this health expo, realising that there are many
amongst us who are sick, but cannot be treated because of lack of drugs and
foreign currency.”
The health expo, organised by the former Makokoba
legislator, saw nurses and doctors providing free treatment to the sick. This
was not the first time that Dube has organised a health expo for the
constituency.
The pharmaceutical sector blames government for the drugs
shortage, arguing the sector continues to be allocated insignificant monies for
the importation of drugs to normalise the situation. The Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe (RBZ) yesterday said it had availed a further US$3,3millon towards the
importation of drugs, in addition to the US$6,7million released last week.
Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment