adminand giving prescribed drugs without a doctor’s prescription.
The pharmacy located at shop number 12B Life Centre, corner 9th Avenue and Main Street, was found to have had no invoices for drugs and failed to verify the source of those found on the premises.
SuperMed was also found to have had pre-packs in the dispensary without regulated labelling information of which the origins were not known.
As a result SuperMed was found to have contravened the Medicines and Allied Substances Act.
Responding to e-mailed questions MCAZ director-general Mrs Gugulethu Mahlangu said SuperMed was notified of the cancellation last month.
She said after the notification of MCAZ’s decision, SuperMed was given a number of days to comply.
“A MCAZ team that was in Bulawayo found that SuperMed were selling unregistered medicines. There was an absence of invoices and therefore inability to verify the source of some medicines found on the premises,” said Mrs Mahlangu.
She said SuperMed was found also to have been selling Pharmacists Initiated (PIM) and Prescription Preparation Schedule 10 (PP10) medicines over the counter.
“The pharmacy was found with pre-packs in the dispensary, which did not bear the regulated information and therefore were of unknown origin.
“All the above mentioned offences constitute contravention of the Zimbabwean laws,” said Mrs Mahlangu.
She said according to the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act, anyone who carries on the business of a pharmacist without a licence, was liable to a fine not exceeding level 12.
“The Act also provides for imprisonment for a period of up to two years. The court has jurisdiction over this, after presiding over the case. Such cases would be dealt with by the police,” said Mrs Mahlangu.
She said from time to time, the authority finds it necessary to cancel the licences of premises that did not meet the required standards.
“These can be any of the premises within the licencing scope of MCAZ. These include manufacturing facilities, wholesale dealers, hospital and retail pharmacies, industrial clinics, dispensing medical practitioners and veterinarians. In the interest of public health, the authority can decide on temporary or permanent closure of premises,” said Mrs Mahlangu.
She said MCAZ considered that most contraventions of the statutes constituted serious offences warranting closure of pharmacies as they often exposed the public to a health risk.
“In addition, where there has been a previous infringement and a warning issued, but apparently not taken seriously, the authority finds it has to cancel the licence. Every case is usually determined on its own merits,” said Mrs Mahlangu.
Efforts to get a comment from a Mrs Hadebe, the director of SuperMed, were fruitless as she was said to be out of the office and her mobile phone went unanswered.
MCAZ is responsible for conducting routine inspections of licenced premises and visits locations once a year.
This is how the MCAZ ensures adherence to laid down standards as set out in the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.
Whenever inspectors go to any area, Bulawayo included, it is for the purposes of conducting routine or enforcement inspections.
Online Reporter