Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo has expressed concern over the existing drug pilferage practices in the Province.
Mr. Kasolo says it is criminal to engage in selling of drugs meant for distribution in Public Health facilities.
The Permanent Secretary was speaking in Chipata during the 2017 Provincial Health 3rd Quarter Integrated Technical Review meeting.
He urged the Health Sector to strengthen its internal
controls to ensure the safe storage and management of medicines and other medical supplies.
Mr. Kasolo however commended the health sector in the province for recording improvements in areas of infrastructure development and implementing malaria control measures.
He said that this is despite the disease still remaining the major cause of morbidity and mortality.
Mr. Kasolo added that government has prioritized control efforts because its aim is to eliminate malaria by 2021.
The Permanent Secretary urged stakeholders to use the review meetings to assess ways of addressing the various challenges being faced in the province, among them insufficient blood availability, limited human resource and maternal deaths which was at 92 in 2016 and 72 so far this year.
Mr. Kasolo revealed that the health sector in the province has so far received tremendous support from cooperating partners with a total sum of 65 million Kwacha from various partners and 100% government funding.