By CHRISTINE MWAABA –
PATIENTS across the country have put their health, even life, at risk by unknowingly consuming drugs from illegal drug stores, chemists, and pharmacists.
Some drugs that have been badly stored or are expired have been dispensed and consumed by the public.
Most of these drugs have been found in unlicensed drug stores which have significantly increased trade and distribution of counterfeit, stolen and illicit medicines and medical devices.
Not to mention the escalating of illegal drug stores, pharmacies in different designated areas in the country are becoming increasingly involved in questionable activities which may include pharmaceutical crimes involving the trade and distribution of drugs.
Stolen or illicit medicines and medical devices may encompass the counterfeiting and forgery of medical documents as well as trade of medical products.
The increasing prevalence of illegal drug stores allows members of the public to buy medicines easily, cheaply and in some cases without a prescription.
There are always risks involved when one buys drugs from illegal drug stores ands especially if the pharmacist is not trained, the drug user can never be sure of exactly what they are taking.
Some of the common or general medicines sold in questionable drug stores are unlikely to be pure and might have stayed in the stores for quite some time.
Medicines like paracetamol, cafemol, brufen have been easily accessed by the public.
They are sold in grocery stores and because one can access them, this may lead to one not knowing the efficacy of the drug which could often lead to accidental overdose.
The Zambia Medicine Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA), formally known as the Pharmaceutical Authority, is a government agency established under the Medicine and Allied Substance Act (No3) of 2013. It is responsible for regulating and monitoring the entire pharmaceutical industry and
ensure that all medicines being made available to the public are safe, effective and of high quality.
ZAMARA Public Relations Officer Ludovic Mwape says the concern of the regulating authority is that most of these facilities that are supposed to be selling general drugs end up selling prescription drugs that are supposed to be sold under the supervision of a trained pharmacist.
“Most of the people who are not qualified are operating illegally and the worst things is that facilities that are registered with ZAMRA come in the name of selling general medicines and in due course they begin to sell medicine which they have not been authorized to sell.
Their interest of course is making money,” Mr Mwape says.
He said outlets that are dully registered with ZAMRA are relatively few compared to the ones that are not registered. He said this is why the safety and quality of most medicines cannot be ascertained.
Mr Mwape says most of the illegal drug stores are found in townships.
He said there is need for inspection of such outlets and their owners but whenever inspections are done, the shop owners are tipped and they
always close their shops to avoid inspectors. “We rely mostly on the tips from the members of the public to ensure
that they report to us about whoever is flouting the law and then we make a follow up,” he says. Obviously, this means the fight to stop illegal drug stores cannot be left to the regulators alone. It needs consented efforts from the public to change mindsets and attitudes towards buying drugs from illegal stores.
To ensure members of the public are protected from consuming dangerous
substances, they must be able to buy medicine from stores that are licensed by the authority.
On one hand, the law clearly states that no person is allowed to sell drugs without registration or permit from the authority. On the other
hand, the law has provided the authority to allow or receive application for sell of medicine in health shops.
Mr Mwape cautions the public to be always interested in look out for registered outlets and develop a habit of visiting a health facility when there are sick.
He explains that  a number of illegal drug stores, pharmacists and chemists have been closed since the  inception of the authority as a way of scaling up awareness activities to sensitize people not to support undesirable elements providing these medicines without certification.
Kafue resident Zawada Sakala says the biggest challenge faced by communities is the high demand for and illegal drug stores take
advantage to sell their products to the public.
He says whenever people want to buy medicines illegal drug store operators are always available to supply the medicines.
“For instance people tend to buy drugs in these facilities to avoid long queues at clinics or the relatively expensive drugs in appropriate pharmacies,” he says.
He called on authorities to conduct regular inspections and clamp down on illegal drugstores in order to permanently nip the problem in the bud.
He says properly regulated stores must, however, be readily available and easily accessible by the public.
“The first step towards helping those who buy drugs is to ensure that they are enlightened on how to know the genuine drug stores, why it is
important to visit legal operators and ensure that legal drug stores are closer to the people,” he said.
Westgate Pharmacy proprietor Patel Irfan Ismail of says paracetamol, cafamol and brufen can be sold and taken at house hold level since it is in the category of general medicine. However only prescribed
medicine must be provided by a trained pharmacist.
He says it is imperative that consumers get their medicine at a registered pharmacy, chemist or drug store where there is adequately trained staff which issues correct dosages of the drugs.
“Drugs like panado, asprin, are widely used seeing that it is over-the-pain reliever and fever reducer.
That is why it is frequently used for the relief of headaches and other minor aches and pains and this is why it is common,” he says.
However, Mr Ismail says it is generally not safe to use or buy some of this common medicine at unlicensed drug stores to avoid health
repercussions that might cost the life of a person. He said sometimes
even small overdoses can be fatal.
It is imperative for consumers to visit a trained pharmacist to avoid unpleasantness of reactions, overdose or expired medicine.
The health profession regulates affairs relating to pharmacy according to the constituent ion of Zambia under the registration and regulation of pharmacies.
Regulations dealing with health and ago-veterinary products are found under part (3) of the Medicines and Allied Substance Act No. 3 of 2013 section 14 sub-section (1A) which says that a person shall not operate either on that persons or on behalf of another person a pharmacy that
is not registered under this Act or health shop without a permit issued by the authority.
The penalty under sub-section (2) to a person who contravenes sub-section (1) commits an offense and is liable upon conviction to a fine of K45,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years.
The fight against illegal drug stores is crucial. In order to ensure that there are quality medicines in circulation and to protect public health, other regulatory bodies such as the Zambia Police, Consumer
Protection Unit and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) also have a role to play to insure unlicensed people are not selling drugs anyhow.