The Ministry of Health in Eastern Province has fired a nurse from Sinda district after being convicted by the court for pilferage or stealing hospital drugs.
Provincial Medical Director, Abel Kabalo says the province has recorded cases of pilferage in Sinda and Lundazi districts.
Dr. Kabalo says he also has reports that some of the medicines from hospitals are being used in chicken runs, which is not a good thing.
Dr. Kabalo says the province has a challenge of test kits resulting from such acts of pilferage.
He was speaking when addressing pharmacists in Chipata this morning as they start the commemoration of Pharmacy awareness week.
Dr. Kabalo urged the pharmacists to guard medicines jealously so that they can sustain their intended purpose of saving the community.
He says it is the duty of Pharmacists and other medical personnel to be pharmaceutical vigilant to avoid pilferages.
And Eastern Province Principal Pharmacist, Joseph Lungenda, says pharmacists in Chipata are commemorating the week by sensitizing the community in Chipata on the dangers of drug abuse.
Mr. Lungenda noted with concern the abuse of antibiotics by people, who treat themselves with drugs without prescription from medical personnel.