Police arrest health interns over medical drugs theft

Police in Dedza have arrested two pharmaceutical interns on allegations that they stole assorted medical drugs at Dedza district hospital.

The two, who are St. John’s Institute for Health students are Ivy Nkhata, 20 and Olivia Mazinga, 23.

The suspects, according to Dedza Police Public Relations Officer, Beatrice Jefita, were on internship at Dedza District Hospital, at the pharmacy department, for a period of three months and were released back to school on 4th February 2023.

Jefita says on that particular date, police received a tip-off that the suspects were in possession of medical drugs believed to have been collected from a health facility without authority.

Following the report, police moved in and arrested the two, leading to the recovery of assorted medical drugs which include 50mg Diclofenac 300 tablets, brufen tablets, Amoxicillin tablets, Abendazol tablets, Promethazine tablets, pregnancy kits, Amitriptyline tablets, Ciprofloxacin tablets, paracetamol, Getacin tubes, among other medical drugs.

The suspects will appear before court soon to answer a charge of being found in possession of medical drugs without a licence.

Ivy Nkhata hails from Euthini in Traditional Authority Chindi in Mzimba district while Olivia Mazinga hails from Samama in Traditional Authority Mponda in Mangochi district.