adminPaidamoyo ChipunzaSenior : Health Reporter
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has dismissed social media reports that a consignment of permanent contraceptives has been wrongly delivered to Zimbabwe instead of elephantiasis tablets meant for the ongoing drug administration programme. In a statement yesterday, the ministry described the social media reports as false saying that the three drugs used for the mass drug administration programme were dihydroethylcarbamazine, praziquantel and albendazole.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care would like to warn the general public about negative, false and damaging messages going viral on social media concerning the mass drug administration programme currently underway throughout the country,” reads the statement.
It said these drugs were safe and effective in the treatment of elephantiasis, bilharzia and intestinal worms, contrary to the social media statement claiming that the drugs were contraceptives meant for population control in China.
“These medicines are safe for all and they are not used as contraceptives as what is being purported on the social media,” reads the statement.
The ministry said these medicines were also pre-qualified by the World Health Organisation and were tested and verified by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe.
Zimpapers spokesperson Ms Beatrice Tonhodzayi distanced The Herald from the statement, which is purported to have been published on The Herald website.
She said no such statement was published by The Herald website.
A false statement purportedly from the Ministry of Health and Child Care is circulating on social media claiming that a wrong consignment meant for China was delivered into the country.
According to the statement, the consignment was a permanent contraceptive for both males and females for Chinese people to control their ballooning population.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Health (and Child Care), we would like to express our sincere apologies to all Zimbabweans who could have been given the wrong course of tablets in the ongoing programme of vaccination against elephantiasis. It has been noted that a wrong consignment meant for China could have made its way into Zimbabwe.
This consignment was a permanent contraceptive for both males and females for Chinese people to control their ballooning population. The Government of Zimbabwe will leave no stone unturned to bring this shipping agency, which made the grave mistake. It’s also unfortunate that nothing can be done once you swallow these tablets so you will not be able to have children again,” reads the false social media statement.
The national drug administration exercise ran between September 12 and 17 throughout the country.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter