The Mufulira Subordinate Court has heard that over 700 people died whilst Zambia Medicines Regulation Agency (ZAMRA), an institution mandated to ensure availability of safe and efficacious medicines on the market seized cholera medicines that were imported by Zango Healthcare Ltd. This is in the case where renowned pharmacist Jerome Kanyika and two others have been charged with illegal importation of medical drugs. The Court heard how ZAMRA seized cholera drugs ordered by the Ministry of Health through Zango Healthcare Ltd.
The court heard that ZAMRA through its director general (DG) facilitated the importation of the said cholera drugs through a border post which was not yet part of its electronic system. The court was told that due to emergency cases, the DG had to call the DG in DRC for medicines regulatory authorities to facilitate importation of the said drugs. Here is the verbatim below as Banda, an inspector from ZAMRA Copperbelt province was cross examined by Defence Counsel’s Daniel Mwaba of James and Doris legal practitioners and Counsel Michelle Mwiinga from PNP Legal Practitioners in the Thursday 15th August 2024 Court Session.
VERBATIM Question Counsel Mwaba Mr. Banda, did you identify the medicines for the court? Answer: Yes, I did. Question Can you tell this court how you identify these medicines? Answer: We use the name, the quantity, and all that.
Question Can you confirm to this court that there may be a thousand or million drugs labeled the same way? Answ.