A growing number of Zimbabweans infected with HIV are being sold counterfeit or contaminated anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) at non-approved dispensaries such as flea markets and hair salons, according to IRIN, the United Nations news service.
With the health system in collapse and medication in short supply, only a fraction of Zimbabwe’s estimated 300,000 patients in need to ARVs have access to real medication.
Most cannot afford to pay private-sector prices for the drugs, while government-subsidized programs cannot handle the demand.
Trade groups blame the government for a lack of internal controls and for not going after the counterfeiters, while unlicensed “doctors” perform illegal surgeries and then sell patients counterfeit drugs, often with fatal consequences.
Source:
“ZIMBABWE: Fake ARVs threaten lives”
IRIN (United Nations), August 24, 2007
Zimbabwe: The Toll of Fake AIDS Drugs
The government should’ve planned the release of the drugs better than they did. They didn’t have enough supplies for the needs of all the patients. Also the people of Zimbabwe should’ve realized that they shouldn’t have bought medicine such as that from flea markets and hair salons. I understand that they would accept medicine from other places than the hospital or legalized and licensed places because of desperation but I don’t understand why they would let unlicensed doctors operate and do illegal surgeries.