Source: MCAZ cancels pharmacy, wholesalers’ permits | The Sunday News
Mr Richard Rukwata Robin Muchetu, Health and Gender Editor
SEVERAL pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers and persons dealing with medicines and medical supplies have had their licences cancelled, some for periods of over two years, for violating several standard operating procedures.
The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) Director General, Mr Richard Rukwata, released the names of offenders, saying they are prohibited from dealing with medicines for various periods stipulated by the authority.
“The MCAZ advises its stakeholders of the cancellation of the following Wholesale Dealers’ Permits, Pharmacy Licences and Persons’ Licences,” said Mr Rukwata.
The offences vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, with each carrying a different length of time they are prohibited from operating.
Various pharmacies were condemned and banned from operating for offences such as failing to ensure the continuous personal supervision of the pharmacy, selling unregistered medicines, purchasing medicines from unauthorised sources, capturing insufficient details on dispensing Prescription Preparation Medicines and pharmacy-initiated medicines and dispensing prescription preparations without a prescription.
Other offences include selling restricted preparations without a prescription, selling medicines by wholesale without a dealer’s permit and selling expired medicines.
Individuals who were permit and licence holders allowed to trade in medicines and other pharmaceuticals were also cited for selling medicines from unlicensed premises and misrepresenting facts to enable procurement of Hystalix syrup from Vidamac Pharmaceuticals.
Individuals whose permits were cancelled are Mrs Memory Mukamuri née Mutibvu, Mr Godfrey Kudakwashe Guwakuwa, Mr Silas Chikurira, Ivan Mutengwa — all from Harare — and a Mr D Chiutsi from Mutare.
They are prohibited from operating from July 2025 to as late as July 2027 in some cases.
Affected pharmacies whose licences were cancelled for varying periods include Ultimate Pharmacy (July 2025), Milton Park Pharmacy (June 2026), Cameron Pharmacy (September 2026), Genesis Pharmacy (July 2027) — all from Harare — and Clique Pharmacy from Mutare (July 2027). Medserv Pharmacy from Kwekwe was banned until June 2026.Meanwhile, the MCAZ has also recalled Captopril 25mg tablets due to a quality defect. Captopril is used in the treatment of patients with chronic conditions such as congenital heart disease and for some with hypertension.
“MCAZ wishes to inform the public and all stakeholders of a Class II recall up to the retail level of Torrent Captopril 25mg Tablets, Batch B520k001, manufactured by Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd India. The recall has been initiated following an Out-Of-Specification result of Captopril Disulfide (OOS No. OOS/BST/25/004), a key parameter in assessing product quality. Non-compliance with quality specifications may result in loss of efficacy and potential risk to patient safety,” said Mr Rukwata.
The authority called on all licensed pharmaceutical wholesalers, pharmacies, public and private clinics and hospitals to quarantine and discontinue the distribution of the affected batch immediately.
“Members of the public in possession of this product batch are to return it to the pharmacy from which it was purchased or to the Authority.”
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