Online Reporter
B-Metro Health Reporter
THE so-called “skinny jab” that has been causing a stir on social media and in beauty circles has now drawn the wrath of health authorities, who have slapped a red flag on its illegal use and warned that desperate weight loss seekers are literally playing with fire.
Ozempic, a drug meant for managing type 2 diabetes, is being misused by image-obsessed individuals trying to shed kilos fast without exercise or medical advice. The public health threat is now too big to ignore.
The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) and the Health Professions Authority of Zimbabwe (HPA) have issued a joint chilling warning about the spike in unauthorised use of Ozempic for weight loss. They say unlicensed sellers are operating via social media or fly-by-night beauty clinics and pushing the jab illegally to unsuspecting clients chasing unrealistic body goals.
“We warn the public against purchasing Ozempic from unauthorised sources, including online marketplaces, social media platforms, unlicensed premises or unregistered individuals,” the statement read. “These sources often lack quality control and may offer substandard and falsified medications.”
Authorities say these black-market jabs may look sleek in packaging, but the risks are anything but pretty.
“Ozempic is a prescription-only drug,” the statement continued. “It should only be used under the strict supervision of a qualified and registered healthcare professional. Using it without a proper diagnosis or prescription can result in serious and potentially life-threatening consequences.”
B-Metro investigations reveal that the jab is going for as much as US$150 on social media, with some users admitting to injecting themselves weekly in secret.
“I just wanted to lose belly fat quickly before summer,” confessed a 24-year-old college student who bought Ozempic from an Instagram seller. “They told me it’s safe. I started feeling dizzy and vomiting constantly. I haven’t been to class in a week. My skin is pale and I regret it.”
The MCAZ says selling medicines without a licence and outside of pharmacies is a criminal offense. It violates multiple sections of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Regulations and the Health Professions Act, which prohibit non-qualified persons from prescribing or selling drugs.
Despite the laws, the Ozempic trend continues to sweep across Zimbabwe, with influencers promoting it as the miracle cure for bikini bodies and hourglass goals.
“This is the new body obsession drug,” said one fitness trainer in Harare who declined to be named. “Girls are skipping meals, skipping the gym, and just jabbing themselves with this stuff. It’s scary because some of them don’t even know what’s in it.”
Doctors say the drug, semaglutide, was never designed for casual weight loss and can cause serious side effects including kidney failure, severe nausea, dehydration, and heart complications, especially in people who do not have diabetes.
The authorities say they are now working with law enforcement to clamp down on unregistered suppliers and warn that arrests are imminent.
If you see it being sold on WhatsApp, Instagram or in some backroom beauty salon, authorities urge you to report it immediately.
Because while the pictures may look flawless online, one bad jab could be fatal.
