By Ziyah News Reporter
Harare- Unqualified Merchants offering free full body scan have been flourishing across the country with majority of them prescribing medicines outside of the control of the authorities mandated to licence health professionals and medicines in Zimbabwe.
The Medicines Control Authority Zimbabwe (MCAZ) in conjunction with the Health Professionals Authority (HPA) Zimbabwe have moved in to stem the tide which threatens the health and well-being of Zimbabweans for which they are mandated to protect.
In a joint statement, the two Authorities have warned these ‘dubious’ characters offering the “full body scan” using magnetic resonance machines.
“It has been noted that these alleged magnetic resonance machines are being used by unqualified and unauthorized personnel who then proceed to prescribe and sell medicines (both conventional and complementary) for chronic conditions to the unsuspecting public This poses a serious risk of misdiagnosis and mistreatment to the public.”
They added that the actions of the individuals and or groups are in direct contravention of the laws that governs health professionals and medicines in Zimbabwe.
“These acts are in contravention of several statutes. The Health Professions Act (Chapter 27:19) Section 126, stipulates that anyone who is not registered on the designated register who: for gain practices a profession or calling, pretends by any means whatsoever to be on the register or uses any name, title, description or symbol indicating or calculated to lead persons to infer that he is a member of a profession or calling of which a designated register is kept, shall be guilty of an offence liable to a fine or imprisonment or both. Therefore, diagnosis and prescribing should only be conducted by qualified and licensed personnel.”
“Selling medicines by unlicensed persons from unlicensed premises contravenes Sections 50 and 52 of the Medicines and Allied Substance Control (General) Regulations, 1991, SI 150 of 1991 as read with Section 106 of the same Regulations. Also, the selling of unregistered medicines is in contravention of Section 29 (1) (a) of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act as read with Section 29 (1a) of the same Act. Page 1 of 3 Mandated to safeguard the public.”
The two bodies have warned purAveyors of the unregulated acts that the long arm of the law will heavily descend upon them.
“It is an offence for an unlicensed individual to diagnose, treat, and sell medicines to the public. In conjunction with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the two Authorities will be undertaking investigations and confiscating all such offensive equipment as well as prosecuting the persons operating the said machines illegally. At the same time, the medicines will be confiscated (both registered and unregistered) from unlicensed persons and unlicensed premises.”
The public has also been urged to seek medical advice and treatment only from registered health professionals and institutions.
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The Health Professions Authority Zimbabwe (HPA) and Medicines Control Authority Zimbabwe (MCAZ) have noted with concern the sprouting of unauthorized use of dubious magnetic resonance machines offering a service popularly called “full body scan.” These can be identified by the possession of a valid practicing certificate from the practitioner’s respective Council, a licence issued by HPA for registration of premises, and an MCAZ licence for both person and premises.