Natpharm's dire state jolts Parliament

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care has announced nationwide site visits to National Pharmaceutical Company (Natpharm) depots following alarming revelations about the state of the country's central medicines procurement and distribution agency.

The decision comes after two weeks of oral evidence from the Ministry of Health and Child Care and Natpharm officials, which exposed severe financial distress, rising debts and operational constraints affecting the parastatal responsible for supplying essential medicines to public health institutions.

Committee chairperson Descent Bajila said the oversight visits are intended to verify conditions on the ground and inform recommendations aimed at stabilising the institution.

Bajila painted a stark picture of an organisation under intense financial pressure, noting that Natpharm is burdened by millions of dollars in debt, while its largest debtor is reportedly its sole shareholder, the Government of Zimbabwe.

He said unpaid government obligations have significantly constrained Natpharm's ability to procure medicines and settle suppliers, contributing to ongoing supply challenges in the public health system.

Lawmakers were also told that changes in United States foreign funding arrangements have disrupted previously donor-supported logistics and warehousing programmes, further weakening the company's revenue base.

Bajila said the collapse of those funding streams has widened an already critical gap in operational financing.

“A functional Natpharm is not a luxury — it is a strategic necessity for Zimbabwe's health security, economic resilience and industrial growth,” he said.

He added that a strengthened Natpharm would help ensure reliable access to essential medicines, reduce reliance on imports, stabilise prices and improve the country's capacity to respond to health emergencies.

Natpharm, the country's central pharmaceutical procurement and distribution agency, is responsible for sourcing, storing and delivering medicines and vaccines to public hospitals and clinics nationwide.

Its effective operation is widely regarded as essential to preventing drug stockouts and ensuring equitable access to healthcare services.

However, the institution has for years faced chronic underfunding, governance challenges and mounting debts, issues which have increasingly undermined its performance.

Bajila said the revival of Natpharm aligns with Zimbabwe's broader development priorities under the National Development Strategy 2, as well as global targets such as Sustainable Development Goal 3 on health and well-being and SDG 9 on industrial development and innovation.

He stressed that addressing the crisis would require more than short-term fixes.

“The path forward requires deliberate investment, strong regulatory frameworks, public-private partnerships and sustained political will. Building pharmaceutical sovereignty today secures Zimbabwe's future,” he said.

The upcoming parliamentary visits are expected to focus on depot conditions, stock availability, infrastructure challenges and operational capacity, with lawmakers set to compile a report that could shape future reforms in the health supply chain sector.