By Brighton Chiseva
A serious shortage of contraceptive tablets have hit Zaka clinics sparking suspicions that they were being smuggled to South Africa.
The revelation was made by the Zaka Rural District Council audit committee Chairperson Stella Shambira during a full council meeting held at the local authority council chambers on Tuesday April 1.
Presenting the audit report, Shambira said the audit committee noted the drug stock balances had some excesses and shortfalls and had resolved to task the internal auditor to investigate.
“The audit committee noted the drug stock balances had some excesses and shortfall beyond generally acceptable tolerance of 10 percent.
“Clinic drug stock issuing should be done by a particular member of staff for proper accountability,” said Shambira.
She went on to say they noted that the family planning pills were making highest shortfalls than other drugs at most clinics and suspect that the nurses and other members of staff were selling them because they are sought after in South Africa.
“We suspect that the nurses and other members of staff could be selling the tablets which are later being smuggled to South Africa where they are sought after,” she said.
The committee also noted challenges in fuel coupons which were recorded with serial numbers not in sequence as well and that fuel with different characteristics was being recorded on the same page.
It also noted an issue of large arrears by those leasing council properties and recommended that departments make monthly written follow ups on tenants in council leased properties.
However, a health practitioner who chose to remain anonymous said the issue of smuggling could not be the cause of shortages but rather it was an issue of supply chain.
The practitioner said smuggling had been there since time immemorial but it had not affected the supply.
“There could be an element of smuggling but it has always been there and has never affected the supply. So the issue has to with the cutting of funding by USAID which affected several organizations which were supplying the products,” said the practitioner.
