Health authorities in South Sudan’s Wau State say after an inspection of pharmacies around the state, most do not meet the required standards to operate raising concerns of health services across the state.

According to the findings, most pharmacies do not qualify to store drugs while those dispensing medication as pharmacists, do not have the required qualifications.

Wau State Health Minister James Patrice Ibrahim said the inspection carried out by the ministry’s department of pharmacists revealed among others, "The majority of those pharmacies do not adhere to the pharmacies regulations. Some have no technical personnel or qualified technicians. Suitability of places and above all they sold all medications over the counter,” he said.

He added that despite the presence of regulations for dispensing prescription drugs, most pharmacies were selling those drugs without any prescription, saying that is illegal.

“Most of the pharmacies we visited were selling or having government properties, this is number one violation, number 2, they are selling unauthorised drugs,” Patrice said.

“In some pharmacies we found those who are working are underage, it means they are not technicians, they are not people working in the health field and the minimum qualification that we need for anyone to sell drugs is a nurse with a certificate,” the minister explained.

The findings also revealed that senior military, police and law enforcement officers are implicated as being involved in protecting the illegal pharmacies, “When you come to search they threaten our people,” he added.