Maputo, 27 Jul (AIM) – Mozambique’s National Medicine Regulatory Authority (ANARME) has announced that medicines and medical-surgical supplies budgeted at 20.8 million meticais (325,00 US dollars at the current exchange rate) were stolen from the National Health Service (SNS), during the first half of 2026.
According to ANARME spokesperson, Cassiano João, speaking to reporters about the results of market oversight and anti-illegal-sales operations conducted during the first half of 2026, 580 public and private establishments were inspected.
“The inspection covered pharmacies, clinics, health centers, informal markets, and wellness and aesthetic centers, resulting in 19 seizures of pharmaceutical products, the majority of which occurred in pharmacies”, he said.
During the operation, almost 25,000 units of various types of medicines belonging to the SNS were confiscated. “This includes medicines for gastrointestinal disorders, analgesics, antiretrovirals, erectile dysfunction drugs, weight-loss products, and medical devices, with a total estimated value of 885,100 meticais.”
According to Joao, five criminal cases have been opened regarding the illegal sale of SNS medicines. Those involved in the cases are from the central province of Sofala, Zambézia, Manica, Northern Province of Nampula and Maputo city.
“The Attorney General’s Office (PGR) is assessing the cases, administrative measures were also ordered, including the closure of 17 pharmacies in the provinces of Gaza and Tete and the suspension of medicine imports from four Indian manufacturers due to non-compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices”, he said.
These findings, he said, strongly suggest management failures and the possible diversion of medicines from the SNS. “During the same period, we issued nine quality alerts, ordering the suspension and withdrawal from the national market of various medicines and health products, including bupivacaine, acetylsalicylic acid, ferrous sulfate, ferrous sulfate combined with folic acid, multivitamins, and, recently, rapid malaria tests”, he said.
Am/
