I recently responded to a post on LinkedIn by Medicines for Africa on medicine theft. I reproduce my response here and solicit your thoughts and reactions. Particularly what can we do to eliminate or minimize this menace.
Thanks medicines for africa (mfa) for shining the light on this menace. Your post underscores a painful and persistent truth—medicine theft is far more than a logistical failure; it is a betrayal of public trust with devastating consequences for health outcomes. In my experience working across numerous countries, I have seen how fragile supply chains, under-resourced facilities, and weak governance structures create fertile ground for this epidemic to flourish.
Addressing this crisis demands more than reactive fixes. Strengthening pharmaceutical systems requires end-to-end visibility, robust digital traceability, and institutionalized accountability—from central medical stores to the last mile and beyond. However, technical solutions alone are insufficient.
A more systemic approach is urgently needed. One promising intervention is the establishment of a central policy oversight unit for the pharmaceutical sector. As articulated in the recent publication, An exploratory study of the mandate and functions of national pharmaceutical services units: global trends and the cases of Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Nepal - LinkedIn - such a unit would provide strategic oversight and leadership, align regulatory functions, and drive transparency across the pharmaceutical and supply chain system.
This is not a bureaucratic exercise—it is a necessary structural reform to streamline oversight, foster accountability, and build resilience. By integrating the efforts of government institutions, healthcare providers, civil society, local leaders, and communities, we can form a unified front against medicine theft and diversion.
We must also embrace community-centered governance and cross-sector collaboration. National regulatory authorities - Pharmacy Councils, Pharmacy Boards, NMRAs - alone cannot detect and deter all misconduct. True system integrity depends on shared responsibility, where patients, health workers, and local leaders - Chiefs, Overlords, Religious Leaders, etc. - co-own the mission of safeguarding equitable access to quality-assured medicines. Prevention—not just policing—must be our north star.
Every stolen medicine represents not just a financial loss, but a denied right, a delayed recovery, and too often, a life lost.