adminWimbainashe Zhakata Mutare Correspondent
ZIMBABWE National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has expressed concern over pharmacies that are charging exorbitant prices for contraceptive pills that are supposed to be sold to the public at very low prices.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ZNFPC Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ARSH) second quarter forum held in Mutare on Friday, provincial marketing and communications officer Mr Daniel Maromo said pharmacies were making ridiculous profits on emergency contraceptive pills that they were procuring at as little as RTGS $1,50.
A snap survey carried out by The Herald showed that some of the leading pharmacies in the city were charging about RTGS $45 or US$3 for emergency contraceptives such as Pregnon, Revoke 72 and Postinor 2.
“We sell emergency contraceptives to pharmacies for RTGS$1,50 but they are charging more to their customers.
“We trust that pharmacies must be responsible for easy access to such products to youths, who are the main users, but the prices at which they are selling will result in youths foregoing the use of the contraceptives,” he said.
Mr Maromo appealed to pharmacies to review their prices downwards to avoid blocking access to contraceptives, which might result in an increase in unwanted pregnancies among the youths.
Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe president Mr Portifar Mwendera, however, said the pricing of emergency contraceptive pills had an agreed dispensing fee which contributed to the high prices.
“The pricing of medicines in retail pharmacy is under the influence of the Retail Pharmacists’ Association.
“Morning after pills, as with all other contraceptive,s have an agreed fee which stipulates that they are dispensed on a known patient basis.
“That is like on prescription hence they attract a dispensing fee on top of the agreed mark-up for retail pharmacies.
“Also the ZNFPC is not the only one with the morning after pills. Other suppliers are providing to the market, notably Pulse, PCD and Zorway at different prices,” said Mr Mwendera.
According to the ARSH second quarter report, Chipinge district recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancies in Manicaland between the months of April and May at 842.
Mutare Urban and Nyanga district recorded the least number of teenage pregnancies at 212 and 194 respectively.
Online Reporter