News / National
Fake online medicines poisoning Zimbabweans
3 hrs ago |
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Across Zimbabwe, from the crowded streets of Harare's high-density suburbs to the quiet villages of Chipinge, a dangerous trend is unfolding - the rise of social media as the country's new "digital pharmacy."
On platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and TikTok, self-styled health influencers and unlicensed vendors are selling hope in bottles and syringes - "miracle roots," "fertility boosters," "detox tonics," and "weight-loss injections." But behind the glossy adverts and glowing testimonials lie stories of heartbreak, organ failure, and mounting medical bills.
For Tendai Jani, a 34-year-old mother from Harare, a WhatsApp message promising to "cleanse the womb and restore fertility" seemed like a blessing. The herbal concoction arrived neatly wrapped in brown paper. Two days after taking it, she was in excruciating pain.
"They told me it was pure and safe," she says softly. "I wanted to be a mother. I never thought I could end up needing dialysis."
Her kidneys failed. Her savings vanished. Months later, Tendai is still recovering - and warning others not to fall for online cures.
In Chitungwiza, 27-year-old Elias Mandiona ordered a weight-loss injection promoted by a fitness influencer. Within days, his skin turned yellow and his abdomen swelled painfully. Doctors said his liver was only functioning at 30 percent.
"I thought I was saving money," he says. "Now I've lost more than I can count."
Their stories are among many - everyday Zimbabweans misled by digital health misinformation spreading faster than any virus.
Health misinformation is not new, but social media has given it unprecedented reach.
On TikTok and Facebook, influencers market unverified products with catchy slogans, dramatic "before-and-after" pictures, and fake testimonials. WhatsApp groups serve as underground networks for unregistered "clinics," while anonymous sellers deliver drugs and injections via courier.
These platforms exploit a powerful mix of trust, desperation, and digital influence - turning personal pain into profit.
The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has been fighting this trend for years. Products such as Superlife Total Care (STC30) - falsely marketed as curing everything from cancer to infertility - remain widespread despite repeated warnings.
"STC30 and similar herbal products are not registered for sale in Zimbabwe," said MCAZ director-general Mr Richard Rukwata. "Advertising any medicine without written approval is illegal and poses serious risks to public health."
In its latest statement (April 2025), MCAZ warned that influencers and online vendors promoting unapproved medicines face prosecution under the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.
Still, hundreds of ads flood social media daily - often endorsed by celebrities, giving dangerous products a false sense of legitimacy.
Doctors across the country are seeing the human toll of online medical misinformation.
Dr Pamela Chikasha, a Harare physician, says she treats dozens of patients each month whose conditions worsened after trying "miracle" treatments they found online.
"One woman with diabetes stopped taking insulin after using a syrup she saw on Facebook," Dr Chikasha recalls. "By the time she came in, her blood sugar was dangerously high. We nearly lost her."
Obstetrician-gynaecologist Dr Gerald Muringanai warns that unverified fertility and reproductive health products are particularly dangerous.
"These substances are not clinically tested," he said. "They can interfere with hormones, damage organs, and in pregnant women, even cause miscarriages or birth defects."
He added that many supplements contain undeclared ingredients, including steroids and heavy metals, which silently harm users.
"We are seeing women with hormonal imbalances and pregnancy complications linked to these ‘natural' remedies," Dr Muringanai explained. "The tragedy is that many delay seeking real medical help until it's too late."
He urged the public to consult only licensed healthcare professionals and report suspicious products to authorities.
The misuse of antibiotics bought online is also fuelling one of Zimbabwe's most urgent health threats - antimicrobial resistance.
A BioMed Central (BMC) analysis titled "Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance of Bacterial Pathogens in Harare, Zimbabwe (2012–2017)" found that resistance to common antibiotics such as Ampicillin had reached up to 100 percent among some bacteria.
In Bulawayo, 84.5 percent of E. coli samples from urinary infections were resistant to Ampicillin, and 68.5 percent to Cotrimoxazole - both widely sold without prescription.
These statistics translate into longer illnesses, failed treatments, and preventable deaths, underscoring the cost of self-medication and misinformation.
MCAZ has now teamed up with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to track down and prosecute illegal online medical advertisers. Authorities are also ramping up public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about the dangers of buying unregistered medicines.
However, enforcement remains challenging as many sellers use fake names, encrypted WhatsApp numbers, and cross-border supply chains.
Experts say the solution lies not only in tighter laws but in digital public health outreach - fighting misinformation where it thrives.
"People are getting sick in the same spaces where they're looking for help," said Dr Chikasha. "That's where we need to reach them - on social media."
As Zimbabwe battles to protect its citizens from online medical scams, one truth stands out: in the digital age, misinformation can be as deadly as disease - and every click counts.
On platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and TikTok, self-styled health influencers and unlicensed vendors are selling hope in bottles and syringes - "miracle roots," "fertility boosters," "detox tonics," and "weight-loss injections." But behind the glossy adverts and glowing testimonials lie stories of heartbreak, organ failure, and mounting medical bills.
For Tendai Jani, a 34-year-old mother from Harare, a WhatsApp message promising to "cleanse the womb and restore fertility" seemed like a blessing. The herbal concoction arrived neatly wrapped in brown paper. Two days after taking it, she was in excruciating pain.
"They told me it was pure and safe," she says softly. "I wanted to be a mother. I never thought I could end up needing dialysis."
Her kidneys failed. Her savings vanished. Months later, Tendai is still recovering - and warning others not to fall for online cures.
In Chitungwiza, 27-year-old Elias Mandiona ordered a weight-loss injection promoted by a fitness influencer. Within days, his skin turned yellow and his abdomen swelled painfully. Doctors said his liver was only functioning at 30 percent.
"I thought I was saving money," he says. "Now I've lost more than I can count."
Their stories are among many - everyday Zimbabweans misled by digital health misinformation spreading faster than any virus.
Health misinformation is not new, but social media has given it unprecedented reach.
On TikTok and Facebook, influencers market unverified products with catchy slogans, dramatic "before-and-after" pictures, and fake testimonials. WhatsApp groups serve as underground networks for unregistered "clinics," while anonymous sellers deliver drugs and injections via courier.
These platforms exploit a powerful mix of trust, desperation, and digital influence - turning personal pain into profit.
The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has been fighting this trend for years. Products such as Superlife Total Care (STC30) - falsely marketed as curing everything from cancer to infertility - remain widespread despite repeated warnings.
"STC30 and similar herbal products are not registered for sale in Zimbabwe," said MCAZ director-general Mr Richard Rukwata. "Advertising any medicine without written approval is illegal and poses serious risks to public health."
In its latest statement (April 2025), MCAZ warned that influencers and online vendors promoting unapproved medicines face prosecution under the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.
Still, hundreds of ads flood social media daily - often endorsed by celebrities, giving dangerous products a false sense of legitimacy.
Doctors across the country are seeing the human toll of online medical misinformation.
"One woman with diabetes stopped taking insulin after using a syrup she saw on Facebook," Dr Chikasha recalls. "By the time she came in, her blood sugar was dangerously high. We nearly lost her."
Obstetrician-gynaecologist Dr Gerald Muringanai warns that unverified fertility and reproductive health products are particularly dangerous.
"These substances are not clinically tested," he said. "They can interfere with hormones, damage organs, and in pregnant women, even cause miscarriages or birth defects."
He added that many supplements contain undeclared ingredients, including steroids and heavy metals, which silently harm users.
"We are seeing women with hormonal imbalances and pregnancy complications linked to these ‘natural' remedies," Dr Muringanai explained. "The tragedy is that many delay seeking real medical help until it's too late."
He urged the public to consult only licensed healthcare professionals and report suspicious products to authorities.
The misuse of antibiotics bought online is also fuelling one of Zimbabwe's most urgent health threats - antimicrobial resistance.
A BioMed Central (BMC) analysis titled "Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance of Bacterial Pathogens in Harare, Zimbabwe (2012–2017)" found that resistance to common antibiotics such as Ampicillin had reached up to 100 percent among some bacteria.
In Bulawayo, 84.5 percent of E. coli samples from urinary infections were resistant to Ampicillin, and 68.5 percent to Cotrimoxazole - both widely sold without prescription.
These statistics translate into longer illnesses, failed treatments, and preventable deaths, underscoring the cost of self-medication and misinformation.
MCAZ has now teamed up with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to track down and prosecute illegal online medical advertisers. Authorities are also ramping up public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about the dangers of buying unregistered medicines.
However, enforcement remains challenging as many sellers use fake names, encrypted WhatsApp numbers, and cross-border supply chains.
Experts say the solution lies not only in tighter laws but in digital public health outreach - fighting misinformation where it thrives.
"People are getting sick in the same spaces where they're looking for help," said Dr Chikasha. "That's where we need to reach them - on social media."
As Zimbabwe battles to protect its citizens from online medical scams, one truth stands out: in the digital age, misinformation can be as deadly as disease - and every click counts.
Source - The Herald
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