Drug shortage worsens

The survey, commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe, also established that the majority of drugs have become too costly even for high-net worth workers and the nouveau riche.

We have applied for foreign currency, and we are waiting for allocations, Ishe Nkomo, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe, said, adding, Most pharmacies can no longer afford to import drugs, so the few that are still importing tend to be expensive.

There are fears that the situation is likely to have a devastating impact on an already fragile health sector amid reports one in seven Zimbabweans are estimated to be living with HIV.

One month’s prescription of Stalenev 30, a common antiretroviral drug, now costs Z$85 million, or US$2,833 on the formal market.

Only 90,000 Zimbabweans are believed to be taking antiretrovirals out of an estimated 400,000 in dire need of the drugs.

The country is also experiencing a shortage of malaria medications. Simple mosquito repellents that are applied to the body now cost an average of Z$20 million, or US$667, per bottle if available.

The drug crisis has also compounded a health sector crisis, where medical staff has downed tools demanding better remuneration.

Many doctors and nurses have left the country in search of better salaries as a result of the economic meltdown. Reports from Britain estimate that at least 16,000 nurses from Zimbabwe have been granted working visas during the last eight years.