By MUSONDA MANGILASHI
ABOUT 33 people have been convicted and fined by courts of law for selling and importing medicines without certification from the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA).
And ZAMRA public relations officer Ludovic Mwape has appealed for stiffer punishment for offenders saying the punishment being meted on offenders had contributed to people continuing to commit the same offences.
Mr Mwape said the 33 cases were recorded from January to date.
“In the two quarters, we have taken 33 people to court cent convictions most of them were fined and the highest fine was K100 so we ant to make an appeal to the judiciary to make an example from the people that keep on selling medicines in the streets especially without certificates,” he said.
He said the authority had consistently ensured that all medicines that were put on the market met the standard quality and safety adding that the authority would endeavour to ensure that the products were not substandard.
He said working with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), import controls at the borders had been enhanced.
“We have enhanced import controls at the border, in collaboration with ZRA in terms of what is coming in the country. Whenever they find the product or medical product or medical product where we are not present, they inform us,” he said.
And in ensuring that service delivery was improved, Mr Mwape said authority had started offering online services where individuals could access its services regardless of their location.
He added that to ensure decentralization, in addition to the Lusaka and Ndola offices the authority had opened its presence in Nakonde, Chirundu, Chipata, Kasama, Solwezi and soon would be opening an office at Kazungula.
