B. Linus Flomo
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director, Jim Wright, has termed the sale of stolen medicines in Liberia as “This is unfair and immoral.
The USAID’s 2023 assessment indicts that most pharmacies in Liberia are allegedly selling stolen medicines.
Exposing the scandal in Monrovia, Wight said the assessment discovered that about 90% of pharmacies sell stolen medicines are donations to Liberia.
Wright said this means that medicines are only available to patients that have enough money to purchase them.
“In fact, an assessment last year showed that well over 90% of the pharmacies in Liberia sell stolen medicines,” said Mr. Wright, noting, “That is unacceptable. That means that medicine is only available to patients that have enough money to buy them.”
Mr. Wright spoke at the launch of the “Campaign to Improve Supply Chain for Donated Medicines” organized by USAID Liberia Civil Society Activity (CSA) Project in collaboration with the Civil Society Health Coalition.
“USAID is committed to ending corruption and mismanagement within the public health supply chain for donated medications and stopping drugs stock out,” he continued.
According to him, ending the corruption in the public health sector can’t be carried out alone by USAID rather encouraged partnerships which are the key to overcoming these challenges, and every stakeholder has a role to play.
He indicated that the Civil Society Health Coalition has already identified where the problems are, and this is helpful to them in understanding what they need to do to improve the supply chain system.
“We proudly support these efforts through USAID’s Civil Society Activity. In fact, I would like to take a moment to recognize the extraordinary Liberian organizations that form the Coalition,” Wright said.
The six CSOs include Community Health Education and Social Services, Efficient Research and Development Institute, and Humanity Above One-Self Foundation; the Public Health Initiative Liberia, Volunteers United for Development, and Youth Network for Positive Change.
Wright told the audience that these CSOs have worked tirelessly to monitor distributions, resolve issues, advocate for system improvements, and raise awareness that donated medicines are free and should not be sold to patients.
Wright termed the campaign launch as a pivotal moment in their collective efforts to address a critical issue affecting every Liberian’s health and well-being and thanked the government, urging the need to recognize the tremendous efforts of Liberian healthcare workers.
The US diplomat acknowledged the invaluable work of community health assistants in Liberia, adding that they play a crucial role in detecting and treating diseases like malaria adding that they contributed to Liberia’s success in cutting childhood malaria cases in half, with support from the U.S.
Wright indicated that in the President’s Malaria Initiative last year, life-saving medicines and other medical supplies worth US$14 million were donated to the people of Liberia by the (USAID) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
He pointed out that those essential health products significantly reduce preventable deaths.
The USAID envoy expressed conviction that the Government of Liberia will also benefit from constructive partnerships with the Coalition, citing the example of Liberia’s National Public Health Initiative.
“To make a meaningful and sustainable impact on reducing fraud, the Government of Liberia must also assume more responsibility for ensuring accountability,” he said.
He added that the recent indictment of former Margibi County Health Team members and other complicit parties for corruption is a step in the right direction.
Wright stated that the next important step that the government should embark on is prosecution, and if the accused are found guilty, they must be punished by the law.
Reacting to the USAID Mission Director’s allegations, Bong County Pharmacist Mr. George Dokie said it was unfair for the USAID mission head to have accused pharmacies of selling stolen medicine in the country.
“Pharmacists are not criminals. I want to debunk the USAID mission head’s characterization of pharmacies. At no point in time was any pharmacist caught stealing or selling donated medicine,” said Mr. Dokie.
He challenged the USAID mission head to bring forth his evidence pointing to pharmacists stealing.
“We can’t be criminals; this is the second time these people have referred to us in this manner,” he lamented.
He recalled that former US Ambassador Michael McCarthy similarly accused them noting, “I want our people to know that statement is a blanket statement because we pharmacists are not criminals,” he added.
Making a short PowerPoint presentation, a member of the Civil Society Health Coalition, Ms. Joyce Kilikpo, said the CSA health coalition comprises six different CSOs that are working across six of Liberia’s fifteen counties.
She named Montserrado, Bong, Margibi, Lofa, Nimba, and Grand Bassa Counties and the campaign launch brought together delegates from the six counties, government officials from line ministries and agencies, and partners.
