The Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) has arrested six people of Chadiza District in Eastern Province for operating pharmacies without certificates of registration.
ZAMRA Senior Public Relations Officer Christabel Iliamupu said the people arrested were operating drug stores contrary to section 14(1) of the Medicines and Allied Substances Act No. 3 of 2013.
Those arrested include Gladys Sakala, female aged 21 years, Stella Sakala, female aged 37 years and Isaac Mukunta Sangandu, male aged 27 years. Others are Tumelo Sangandu Katongo, male aged 27 years, Ennie Nawa, female aged 38 years and Angela Chivunga, female aged 35 years,
Mrs. Iliamupu.
Mrs. Iliamupu said the six have since been released on police bond and will appear in court soon.
And former Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia (PSZ) President Jerome Kanyika has applauded the arrests made by ZAMRA, stating that the regulator of the law is now being productive in terms of curbing the running of illegal drug stores.
Mr. Kanyika said the growing number of illegal pharmacies has a negative impact on government medical commodities as drugs are illegally acquired from government institutions.
If the enforcers are able to catch them and put them in the [police] cells, that at least will mean we are moving in a positive direction and that will help the country and also prevent other people from engaging in such activities,
Mr. Kanyika.
Mr. Kanyika has since urged members of the public to come out and report all illegal drug stores they have seen in their vicinity.
Prescription only and Pharmacy sale medicines were seized during the operation that was undertaken by ZAMRA in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).