EDITOR — I watched in horror a ZBC TV News report regarding drug shortages at the country’s major hospitals.
What is appalling is that there seems to be no efforts directed towards restocking the hospitals, with one official said to have ordered that money collected should be used to buy a car.
I feel there are strategic companies that are ailing and in dire need of funds. CAPS Holdings, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the country, is desperate for re-capitalisation.
The company is of strategic importance to the nation’s health sector.
Stakeholders involved in efforts to turn around the country must be cognisant of the fact that wealth can only be created by healthy citizens.
Producing our own drugs would make them cheaper and readily available.
At the moment the bulk of our drugs are coming from India and other countries and then distributed by NGOs.
This system is unsustainable and compromises health delivery.
What will happen when the NGOs decide to pull out and stop supporting us?
If NGOs responsible for distributing drugs close shop or sabotage us, thousands would die or may develop drug resistance which is not good for HIV/AIDS patients.
If CAPS is fully functional and producing all the essential drugs we would not compromise the lives of our citizens.
Government must look into the matter urgently.

Dereck Mtandwa,
Harare