Politics and Society
Malawi installs CCTV cameras in public hospitals to fight rampant drugs theft
After threats by the U.S. Ambassador, Virginia Palmer to freeze supplying Malawi with medical drugs if the theft of drugs was not stopped, Malawi has started installing CCTV cameras to enable authorities to monitor drug stores
In a bid to fight rampant theft of drugs in stores within public health facilities, the Ministry of Health in Malawi is installing CCTV cameras to enable authorities to monitor those involved in the theft.
According to Adrian Chikumbe, the Ministry of Health (MoH)’s spokesperson, the installation of CCTV cameras will be in phases, and the programme will eventually be rolled out in all district hospitals.
Chikumbe said, “Malawi government is serious in combating drugs theft in public hospitals this is the reason we are embarking the long term project in installing CCTV cameras in all places our drugs are stored starting with Central Medical Stores which central hospitals will follow before it’s done in district hospitals,” Maravipost reported.
Ambassador Virginia Palmer Photo: Nyasatimes
According to reports, the United States government recently threatened to freeze the supply of medical drugs to Malawi in the coming months if the problem was not effectively dealt with.
Through its Ambassador Virginia Palmer, the U.S. reportedly expressed dismay over continued theft of medical drugs in the country’s public hospitals.
However, Chikumbe noted that the installation of CCTV camera was not a knee-jerk reaction to the Ambassador Palmer’s comments on drug theft, “but rather a zeal and vigilant to end the malpractice,” Maravipost reported.
Source: Maravipost