No Bail for Medicine Thieves

President Hakainde Hichilema has announced a hardline approach to tackling medicine theft, declaring that suspects will be denied bail and prosecuted through economic crimes courts.

Speaking at the launch of the Churches Health Association of the general council in Lusaka, Mr Hichilema said theft of medical supplies would be reclassified as an economic crime rather than an ordinary offence.

"When you are convicted, we will also come for a house which we believe you built through stealing medicines," the president warned.

Cases will be fast-tracked through the Economic Crimes Court, where hearings are completed within five months, he added.

Despite an 85% drug availability rate in public facilities, President Hichilema expressed concern that patients continue to receive prescriptions rather than medicines directly.

"There is no point having availability of 85 percent of drugs but citizens are not accessing them," he said, calling on the Ministry of Health to address the disconnect.

The president urged the Churches Health Association to collaborate with government in establishing a drug-flow monitoring system.

He also dismissed any attempts to use ethnicity as a defence, stating: "No one should bring ethnicity when they offend the law. You have stolen the reagent, you have stolen the drugs, and so why should you bring ethnicity?"