The Parliamentary Committee on Health has attributed the smuggling of falsified medicines and government drugs between Malawi and Tanzania to weak border controls at Songwe Border in Karonga.
Committee Chairperson Anthony Masamba said this on Tuesday when the committee visited Songwe Border to assess operations as part of an inquiry into alleged theft and supply of substandard medicines amid drug shortages across the country.
Masamba said inadequate pre-auditing of goods, the absence of Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority (PMRA) officers at the border, numerous uncharted routes and a shortage of police officers were contributing to the problem.
He said the committee was still consulting stakeholders before presenting its findings and recommendations to Parliament.
Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) Songwe Border Station Manager, Kingsley Chibwana, said the Authority would strengthen patrols and security along the border, including introducing drones for aerial surveillance to make it harder for smugglers to evade detection.
Songwe Border Police Unit Station Officer, Chipezayani Makwati, said police would intensify patrols and work with traditional leaders, Group Village Heads and Community Policing Forums to identify uncharted routes and improve security.
The inquiry seeks to establish how falsified medicines enter Malawi and how government medicines are smuggled into Tanzania.
By Lexa Phiri, MANA
