"You are failing in your ministry, and are very difficult to deal with," Molefhabangwe told Tlou when debating a budget request for the Ministry of Health. He said that drugs are kept for too long a time at the Central Medical Stores (CMS) and end up expiring, while there is a shortage of such medicines in clinics and hospitals. Molefhabangwe accused the minister of failing to curb theft of drugs at the CMS and urged her to act quickly before the situation gets out of control. He, however, commended Tlou for acting quickly last year during the diarrhoea outbreak in the country.
The MP for Tonota, Pono Moatlhodi, also spoke bitterly about the theft of drugs in hospitals and clinics, especially ARVs. He said that the situation is worsened because ARVs are left under the care of Zimbabweans. Moatlhodi said that the working conditions in Government Hospital Pharmaceutical Services are not friendly to young people and, therefore, they prefer to work abroad.
