Mozambique to introduce electronic tracking to curb medicine theft – Watch

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Mozambique to introduce electronic tracking to curb medicine theft – Watch

4:17 CAT | 13 May 2025

Screen grab: TVM

The Mozambican government will introduce an electronic system to track medicines in the national health system in order to curb theft, and has promised to expel professionals from the sector who are caught stealing.

“I must publicly assure you that there will be no compromise on the issue of medicine theft in the health system, zero tolerance. Those who are found stealing medicines and who are employees of the Ministry of Health will not be allowed to work in the national health system. Zero tolerance, expulsion is a must, there is no negotiation possible,” Minister of Health Ussene Isse told journalists on the sidelines of a visit to Tete Provincial Hospital on Sunday.

The government official promised to introduce an electronic system to track medicines in the national health system, with the aim of curbing the constant reports of cases of theft of drugs and other medical equipment.

“This means that medicines that enter Mozambique from now on will have a seal and this seal, when broken, is connected to an electronic system, which means that digitalization will revolutionize the sector and will help us control and know where the medicine is being sold or marketed,” Minister Isse explained.

In April 2024, health authorities in Sofala acknowledged limitations in the control of medicine warehouses in Beira, a week after the arrest of six people, including health workers, for smuggling medicines.

“Although there is a control system, we are unable to have video surveillance in the locations, which could perhaps help improve security in the warehouses,” Neusa Joel, provincial director of Health in Sofala, central Mozambique, told Lusa.

In March last year, six people, four of whom were health centre employees, were arrested in the city of Beira for allegedly attempting to smuggle medicines to the neighbouring Republic of Zimbabwe.