Readers' Views

Mr President, don’t forget pharma sector

EDITOR — This is in response to the article “Stabilising the economy: Tackling the parallel market”.

About time this happened. Once upon a time, it was a crime to hold forex or trade in forex. Even tourists were expected to change their money at bureaux de change before paying for services.

But now they are given options and if they chose to pay in forex, guess what? The staff take the forex and change it on the street and settle their bills.

Another area to focus your attention, Mr President, is the cartels who control the pharmaceutical industry.

They have remained silent, allowing their supply chain in Zimbabwe to charge US dollars to the very vulnerable in our society.

Look at how the cooking oil industry responded by reining in culprits and self-regulating. The fuel industry too has ensured that motorists are not being charged in US dollars.

But not the pharmaceutical industry. Yet we know that the drugs they sell in this country are dominated by Indian pharma. They source at two cents and sell here for $2, making super profits in the process.

Where was the MCAZ (Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe) in all this? After all, they justify their existence as a body for our protection so that we do not get poisoned through using unregistered drugs.

But they have been silent while Zimbabweans have been struggling to source medication as distributors and pharmacies shut their doors to the public. What exactly are they regulating?

This needs a commission of inquiry, Mr President.