Government has warned pharmacies that are overcharging clients or selling medicines in United States dollars that they risk losing their operating licences.

Unscrupulous pharmacies are overcharging customers through pegging prices on prevailing parallel market rates of local currency to the US dollar.

This has led to decline in uptake of medicines, raising fears that some patients could be defaulting, which may complicate their medical conditions.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said Government would soon be checking for compliance to pricing of medicines at all pharmacies.

“We are going to be checking on all private pharmacies to ensure that they are all adhering to the approved prices. We do not want a situation where people are overcharged, where there is a continuous hiking of prices of drugs and at the same time we also want to advice retailers that they should not charge in foreign currency.

“We have heard that there are some who are still charging in foreign currency, that has to stop immediately. The law says we pay in Zimbabwean dollar and that is what we have to adhere to. All those who are charging in US dollars are doing an illegal act and we will not hesitate to withdraw licences of those who continue to do unlawful acts,” said Dr Moyo.State media