It was never meant to be a commodity. But in Malawi, a peanut-based Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) or locally called Chiponde, designed to save the lives of people suffering from acute malnutrition, is now being sold for profit on the black market with reckless abandon.
Months after the Ministry of Health banned the sale of RUTF, this publication went undercover and discovered that an illicit trade of the product is thriving, quietly but confidently, utilising social media platforms.
We posed as potential buyers on WhatsApp and Facebook marketplace, and within hours, four different vendors from Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu responded. One trader confidently responded that to are in a position to supply 10 cartons or more.
The prices? Ranging between K120,000 to K150,000 per carton, or K1,500 per sachet. This is the same product meant to be freely distributed to malnourished children through health facilities.
The traders claimed their product was “original” and “from the hospital.” But when pressed on how they obtained it, most grew evasive, while some hinted at connections within the medical supply chain.
RUTF is more than just peanut butter. It is a nutritionally dense medical food made with peanuts, milk powder, oil, sugar and essential vitamins and minerals. It is prescribed exclusively for those with severe acute malnutrition, mostly children under five.
“Selling and buying RUTF (Chiponde) does not only show people’s massive disregard for the health of children suffering from acute malnutrition but also show a great level of ignorance as to what ingredients are put in the product and their purpose,” explains Dr. Jamil Shariff Chikakuda, a medical doctor familiar with RUTF use.
Dr. Chikakuda adds that overconsumption or misuse of the product can lead to obesity, liver strain and nutrient imbalances, particularly in people not clinically malnourished.
“Consuming RUTF while in good health with no proper prescription by a medical worker puts one’s health at risk, as the product is a medicine, not just mere food, and it was purely made to help those children with acute malnutrition”.
While the full extent of leakage remains unclear, most people believe the RUTF being peddled might be siphoned from public health facilities or stolen in transit, raising questions.
Secretary for Health Samson Mndolo confirmed the ministry has moved to tighten control over the distribution of RUTF. “The ministry has also put in place monitoring and tracking systems such as supply audits, raids and arrests done in collaboration with police to monitor stock levels and track the distribution process,” Mndolo said while warning that harsh penalties await anyone caught diverting or selling the product.
From the findings of our investigations, it is clear that enforcement remains patchy and the illegal sales continue openly online.
National Police spokesperson, Peter Kalaya, acknowledged the scale of the problem and emphasised that law enforcement is actively engaged.
“As police, we do not condone any illegal sale of medical equipment, drugs or even food items, including Chiponde, and we are going to arrest and prosecute anyone found breaking the law in this regard,” explained Kalaya.
However, no specific arrests related to our findings were confirmed at the time of publication.
What began as a lifesaving intervention is now being weaponised by unpatriotic profiteers. With online platforms becoming marketplaces for stolen medical supplies, the situation raises larger questions: How safe is Malawi’s health supply chain? Who is benefiting? And how many malnourished children are now going without RUTF?
George Jobe, Executive Director of the Malawi Health Equity Network, described the situation as “a shame.”
“Chiponde is procured by the government and other stakeholders at a high cost, and noting that some are illegally selling it on the market is worrisome as it puts unnecessary burden on the country’s health system,” he said.
Doris Nanga, a dietitian and lecturer at LUANAR, warned that the situation could also mislead the public into assuming that this particular Chiponde is a weight-gain supplement.
“Excess energy that is consumed from Chiponde by a healthy person does not serve any purpose in the body as the nutrients are not used instantly but converted into fats, which leads to obesity,” she cautioned.
For every carton sold on Facebook, there may be a child or adult somewhere waiting for a sachet that may never arrive.
Until the loopholes are closed and the law catches up with the black-market actors, RUTF will continue to vanish into private hands.
By Alufisha Fischer and Alinafe Mlamba
