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Police in Nkhata Bay over the weekend arrested a man who was found with drugs suspected to have been stolen from a government hospital.
The suspect, James Manda, was arrested after Police mounted a makeshift road block near Chintheche in Nkhata Bay as part of Christmas security operations.
“As part of maintaining security, we put a roadblock near Chintheche in Nkhata Bay. When we were checking one of the vehicles, we found a bag with drugs and we immediately arrested the suspect,” said Nkhata Bay Police Officer in-Charge Senior Assistant Commissioner Paul Chifisi.
He said hospital officials confirmed that the drugs found with Manda were the type found in government hospitals.
Chifisi said the police are still investigating how the drugs managed to pass through hospital security.
He said Manda has already been charged with possession of drugs without permit and that he would appear before court Wednesday.
Nkhata Bay Hospital District Health Officer Dr. Charles Munthali said it was too early to say whether the drugs were stolen from his hospital or not until a proper inventory is done.
“[Manda] said he got drugs from Chintheche but since he is in the hands of the police, we will know more later,” said Munthali.
The DHO explained that it is easy to trace drugs if they are stolen from the pharmacy but difficult when they have come from the wards because it is assumed that the drugs would be given to patients.
Some of the drugs alleged to have been found with Manda are Chloramphenicol Sodium, Ampicillin Sodium, Flucloxacillin Sodium, Amoxilin capsules and TB drugs.
Manda’s arrest comes just a month after another man in Karonga, Joseph Chipasuka, was also nicked after being found with assorted drugs.
Last Month, the Pharmacy, Medicines and Poisons Board Director Wyn Chalira expressed concern that some drugs that need professional directions on use are found with lay people, which could endanger people’s lives.
Chalira claimed that there are some big people who deal in these drugs and that small traders are only used to sell them.
Central Medical Stores Acting Director Albert Khuwi said the drugs are stolen at many stages—from medical stores, central hospitals, district hospitals and health centres.
He parried away suggestion that low pay could be the cause of the thefts, arguing everyone knows how much he or she is expected to get before joining a job.
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