Zimbabwe Farmers Illegally Mixing Human ARV Drugs Into Chicken Feed to Boost Profits

• An undercover investigation revealed Zimbabwean broiler farmers are blending HIV antiretroviral drugs into poultry feed and water
• An agricultural advisory officer confirmed the practice is widespread, with butchered birds reportedly showing abnormal colouring and a bland taste
• Experts warned the practice could undermine HIV treatment efficacy and accelerate global antimicrobial resistance
• Briefly News spoke to health expert Jayshri Rangasamy on the potential health risks of eating meat from chickens that have allegedly been exposed to HIV antiretroviral medicines

ZIMBABWE — Zimbabwean poultry farmers are sourcing human antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) illegally from the black market and mixing them into chicken feed and water, raising serious public health alarms over drug resistance and consumer safety.

The Southern Africa Accountability Journalism Project uncovered the practice through an undercover investigation, in which a Harare broiler farmer disclosed that she regularly incorporates TLD, a fixed-dose triple-therapy regimen prescribed for HIV treatment, into her birds' feed and water. She said the intervention cut mortality rates from common poultry diseases, enabling her operation to scale from 200 to 10,000 birds while also reducing the time from hatching to slaughter from six weeks to four.

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ARVs in the food supply chain

The practice does not appear to be isolated. An agricultural business advisory officer confirmed that it is widespread across Zimbabwe. Authorities have noted that poultry butchered after being fed ARVs displays a reddish, abnormal colour and a noticeably bland taste compared to conventionally raised birds.

Daniel Zulu, former head of toxicity at the Government Analyst Laboratory, warned of significant downstream health risks. He cautioned that ARV residues present in consumed meat could reduce the effectiveness of HIV treatment in patients, while also introducing long-term toxic effects in people who are not infected with the virus.

Legal and health violations

The conduct directly contravenes Zimbabwe's Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act, which expressly forbids the use of human medicines in food-producing animals. The Council of Veterinary Surgeons of Zimbabwe added that introducing ARVs, which have also been found in water sources in South Africa, and other antimicrobial agents into poultry production contributes to the acceleration of antimicrobial resistance, a threat that extends well beyond Zimbabwe's borders.

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Perhaps most telling is the behaviour of the farmers themselves. Despite selling commercially raised birds to the public, many reportedly refuse to eat from their own stock and keep separate free-range chickens for their families, an implicit acknowledgement of the risks they are passing on to consumers. The government and veterinary authorities had not issued an official statement on the matter at the time of publication.

Zimbabwe vendor feeds mystery animal

In a related article, Briefly News reported on a viral incident involving a Bulawayo street vendor who was filmed feeding a small animal hidden in a pouch. The unusual interaction has sparked widespread online debate, with many viewers speculating on the identity of the creature and raising concerns about potential wildlife trafficking violations.

Speaking to Briefly News writer Nerissa Naidoo, health expert Jayshri Rangasamy discussed the concern about eating meat with ARV exposure:

"People should not eat meat from animals that have been exposed to medicines in this way until it has been properly tested and declared safe. We don't know how much of the medicine may remain in the meat or what long-term effects repeated exposure could have. The safest option is to buy poultry from trusted suppliers and avoid meat from questionable sources."

Source: Briefly News