adminSifundiso Ndlovu Chronicle Reporter
A BULAWAYO pharmacy was yesterday caught in a storm after it sold expired medication to an unsuspecting patient raising fears that this illicit activity could be rife and putting lives of patients in danger.
Chronicle visited Plus Two Pharmacy along Robert Mugabe Way where the expired medication was sold.
Abednico Moyo, whose niece is in a coma and admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital Intensive Care Unit, was shocked to discover that nine of the twelve drip packs he bought from the pharmacy had expired.
The drip packs which were seen by the Chronicle expired in June.
“My niece was involved in a car accident last week. She is in a coma at Mpilo hospital. Her life depended on the drip,” Moyo said.
He said they only discovered that the medication had expired when they reached the hospital and when they returned to the pharmacy, it was closed.
“We had to make do with the three packs that were not expired and we hope this will not affect her,” Moyo said.
The manager of the pharmacy Cassim Kalanji accepted responsibility and said he would brief his seniors to ensure that the responsible individual was brought to book for the mix-up.
“Normally, we move all expired medication to the storeroom. After the holiday we will double check again,” said Kalanji.
He, however, could not explain why they had not removed the expired medication.
Kalanji admitted that they are required by the law to check all medication and ensure that it is in good condition before they disperse it to patients.
The pharmacy reimbursed Moyo and apologised for the mix-up.
Two weeks ago, a united Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) nurse Patricia Malemane Dube, was fined $500 for selling expired drugs to a terminally ill patient.
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