Destruction of expired drugs, other stories dominate Malawi newspapers

Destruction of assorted medical drugs by the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) and the obtaining of an injunction by some businessmen to prevent the government from signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (MMCT) are some of the stories making headlines in Malawi newspapers on Monday.
The Nation newspaper carried an article on assorted drugs and medical supplies donated to the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital by several international organisations which have expired and need to be disposed off amid a shortage of essential drugs in the country.

The Chief Hospital Administrator Themba Mhango confirmed the planned exercise which is technically called ‘boarding off’.

According to him, most of the drugs are expired and were donated to the hospital when their shelf life was almost up.

He said, ideally, they should never have accepted the drugs but the hospital was too desperate for the drugs which included vaccines, malaria drugs, antibiotics and HIV drugs.

The Daily Times has written a story on the group of businesspersons obtaining an interlocutory injunction preventing legislator Bon Kalindo, the government and MMCT from signing the planned MOU which does not involve businesspersons.

According to the affidavit that Lawyer Chancy Gondwe filed on behalf of the businesspersons, the plaintiffs, including lodge and motel owners, are arguing that they have not been given a chance to see the contents in the documents of the agreement as among those concerned who have been affected by the closure of MMCT.

Gondwe said since the permanent closure of MMTC by concerned citizens has heavily affected business including the sports, tourism and the Tourists Rescue Team which was instrumental in assisting missing tourists in the mountains.

MMCT was closed after concerned citizens accused the trust for exploiting the mountains’ natural resources instead of preserving it.