Moffat Mungazi
Tendai Gukutikwa
Health Reporter
THE Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has cancelled the licences of Healthwell Pharmacy which was trading as Clique Pharmacy and its managing director, Mr Douglas Chiutsi.
Mr Chiutsi used to own 33 percent of the Healthwell Pharmacy shares before his fallout with the other shareholders.
The fallout spilled to the High Court which absolved the other directors of any wrongdoing, resulting in the re-opening of Clique Pharmacy under new management.
Mr Chiutsi last year resigned from Healthwell Pharmacy, and was among the team that opened Alleviate Pharmacy just 50 metres from his former employer.
The new Clique Pharmacy is now trading as Pimarn Investments, and was not affected by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe directive to cancel the operating licence of Healthwell Pharmacy.
In a circular dated April 7, 2025, and signed by MCAZ’s Director General, Mr Richard Rukwata, the authority stated that Healthwell Pharmacy Private Limited, which was trading as Clique Pharmacy’s licence and that of its licence holder, Mr Douglas Chiutsi was cancelled due to various offences.
The cancellation of both licences will expire in July 2027.
Clique (Healthwell) Pharmacy was named among six other pharmacies in Harare and five other licence holders.
Reads the circular: “MCAZ advises its stakeholders of the cancellation of the following Wholesale Dealers’ Permits Pharmacy Licences and Persons Licences. The cancellation periods will lapse on the dates indicated.”
Some of the offences that Healthwell Pharmacy and Mr Chiutsi are alleged to have committed in the industry include selling unregistered medicines and purchasing medicines from unauthorised sources.
“The pharmacy captured insufficient patient details on dispensing PP10 and Prescription Preparation medicines, dispensing prescription preparation medicines without prescriptions, failure to provide adequate refrigeration for cold chain medicines and poor record keeping of dangerous drugs,” states the circular.
Mr Chiutsi was also alleged to have committed the same offences as those that were committed by the pharmacy.
Chief among the offences that were committed by the affected pharmacies was the dispensing of prescription preparation medicines without prescriptions.
Prescription Preparation medicines are medicines that require a prescription and specific preparation or handling.
They include controlled substances, high-risk medications, customised and compounded medications as well as medicines requiring special dosing or administration.
The requirement to capture patient details when dispensing these medicines helps to ensure accurate tracking, monitoring, and patient safety.
“Ultimate Pharmacy of Glen Norah in Harare’s licence has been cancelled until July 2025, Milton Park Pharmacy of Milton Park in Harare, Medserve Pharmacy of Kwekwe, Cameron Pharmacy of Harare CBD and Winpat Agrochem of Harare CBD had their licences revoked until 2026, while only Clique Pharmacy and Genesis Pharmacy of Kuwadzana in Harare, both had their licences revoked until July 2027,” reads the circular.
The two pharmacies (Healthwell and Genesis) sold unregistered medicines, purchased medicines from unauthorised sellers as well as dispensed prescription preparation medicines without prescriptions among many other offences.
Meanwhile, MCAZ has also issued a Class II recall of Torrent Captopril 25mg tablets, a widely used medication for high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart failure, due to a detected quality defect that could compromise its safety and effectiveness.
The recall affects Batch B520K001, manufactured by Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd of India, and is being carried out up to the retail level, including pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics.
The Authority called on all licenced pharmaceutical wholesalers, pharmacies, public and private clinics, and hospitals to quarantine and discontinue the distribution of the affected batch immediately as well as on members of the public in possession of the product batch to return it to the pharmacy from which it was purchased or to the authority.
“MCAZ wishes to inform the public and all stakeholders of a Class II recall up to the retail level of Torrent Captopril 25mg Tablets, Batch: B520K001, manufactured by Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd, India.
“This recall has been initiated following an Out-Of-Specification (OOS) result for Captopril disulfide (OOS No: OOS/BST/25/004), a key parameter in assessing product quality. Noncompliance with quality specifications may result in loss of efficacy and potential risk to patient safety.
“MCAZ is working closely with Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd and its local distributors to ensure the effective recall of the affected batch from the market. The Authority remains committed to ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of all medicines available in Zimbabwe,” wrote Mr Rukwata in a different media release.
Online Reporter