Parliamentary Health Committee yesterday turned back Victoria Pharmaceuticals Industry Limited after the company’s representatives failed to provide critical information during an inquiry into drug theft, falsified medicines and substandard drugs in Malawi.
The Blantyre-based company’s representatives, who appeared before the committee in Lilongwe yesterday, only outlined its products namely syringes, medical aprons and face masks, saying the government’s Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) was its sole customer.
back. | Wycliffe Njiragoma
But the company did not provide details on its operational history, production capacity, regulatory licences, contractual arrangements and distribution of its products, prompting committee chairperson Anthony Masamba to order managing director Furkan Gani and factory manager Jimmy George Christian to return on Friday with a comprehensive presentation.
“We cannot allow them to say just a word or two or three sentences and make us believe that that was a presentation,” he said.
Gani apologised for the inadequate presentation and dress-code lapses, attributing the shortcomings to an invitation sent to an e-mail account the company rarely uses and only accessed on Monday.
The inquiry seeks to establish weaknesses in the pharmaceutical supply chain, including storage, transportation, possible corruption, drug theft and the circulation of falsified or substandard medicines.
Masamba said national drug availability stood at about 40 to 41 per cent, a shortfall affecting healthcare delivery.
Initially scheduled to run for three weeks, the inquiry could be extended to allow the committee to verify evidence from stakeholders before making recommendations and considering possible legislative reforms.
In a related development, Parliament’s Public Appointments Committee (PAC) has summoned Blantyre Water Board (BWB) directors for tomorrow to address governance and management concerns, including reported tensions between the board and management.
The summons follows a prolonged dispute between the board and former chief executive officer Yeremiah Chihana, whose repeated suspensions and court battles culminated in his dismissal on October 5 2026.
In June, the BWB Employees Trade Union warned that the strained relations were destabilising operations and undermining staff morale and productivity.
