… Health Ministry issues dire warning
The Ministry of Health has issued a stern warning against the use of a dangerous one-month Chinese contraceptive pill known as “Pilisi ea Lechaena,” which has infiltrated the local black market despite being banned in Kenya a decade ago for its lethal side effects.
The pill, according to the ministry, is not sanctioned for use in Lesotho, and lacks any safety guarantees. The ministry confirmed that the pill does not feature in their approved contraceptive lineup.
It is believed to be smuggled into the country by Chinese nationals running local businesses, who sell it alongside Basotho who advertise it on social media platforms.
Prices vary wildly from M25 to M200, highlighting the unregulated nature of its distribution.
The ministry insists on using only World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalified contraceptives for safety and efficacy, making the presence of this Chinese pill a significant public health concern.
The packaging, entirely in Mandarin, leaves users in the dark about its contents and potential dangers.
*Mpolokeng, one of the women who spoke to Newsday, indicated that she was drawn to using the pill because of its easy access and affordability.
She said that although contraceptives are provided freely at government health facilities, it is often more convenient for many women, including herself, to buy the Chinese pill because they can obtain it while running errands around town.
“Going to government health facilities is not always easy because one has to dedicate time for that and risk returning empty-handed if the nearest health facility has run out of the desired contraception method,” she said.
Mpolokeng was told the pill had no side effects, and therefore, she opted for it after experiencing menstrual cycle instability while using injectables. Another reason was the convenience of taking only one pill per month.
“I used the pill for a good six months and then decided to stop because I suspected it was the reason behind my significant weight gain. For three months after stopping, I did not have my periods, which worried me, but I did not report it to a health facility,” she explained.
She said she did not visit a health facility because a pregnancy test was negative, assuring her that it might be the effects of the Chinese pill and that she would return to her normal routine once the pill was out of her system.
“The fifth month came, and I got my periods back. In my entire life, I had never experienced period cramps, but that month, I experienced them for the first time, and I thought it was the end of me.
“It was not only the cramps but also huge blood clots. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought I was pregnant and miscarrying,” she said, adding that the situation affected not only her but also her family members who were worried about her.
Heavy blood flow that lasted more than four days prompted Mpolokeng to report the situation to a pharmacy, where she was given medication that helped her.
“I had noticed red flags about this pill, including its sale in a supermarket instead of a pharmacy, its marketing on Facebook, and its inconsistent price. I would not advise anyone to use it because its side effects can be deadly, as I learned during my heavy bleeding phase. I researched it and found that if one does not receive help when experiencing side effects, they may die,” she said.

The said pill was prohibited by Kenyan authorities 10 years ago due to high levels of levonorgestrel – more than 40 times the recommended levels. Levonorgestrel is a hormonal medication used in several birth control methods.
According to news reports from Kenya, their findings included that the pill can fail, leading to pregnancy while on it, and children conceived after the pill failed were found to have developed early puberty.
Health officials from Zambia have warned women against this pill, advising caution as it is unclear what they contain. Some women have reported serious side effects, including heavy bleeding.
Experts also warned that side effects are difficult to treat because the exact contents of the pills are unknown.
The pill’s packaging, observed by our journalist, bears the name “Hua Run Zi Zhu,” with no English translation, making it impossible for consumers to understand what they are ingesting.
Sold in pieces for M25 each, the method of smuggling remains unclear, but the Department of Family Health has labelled it as an illegal import.
Lesotho offers safer alternatives like daily pills, condoms, IUDs, injections, and implants.
The latest Lesotho Demographic Health Survey from 2024 shows a decline in unmet family planning needs from 18 percent to 13 percent, but the introduction of such hazardous products threatens this progress.

Ntsoaki Motaung is an award-winning health journalist from Lesotho, specializing in community health stories with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as HIV. She has contributed to platforms like “Be in the KNOW,” highlighting issues such as the exclusion of people with disabilities from HIV prevention efforts in Lesotho.
In addition to her journalism, Ntsoaki serves as the Country Coordinator for the Regional Media Action Plan Support Network (REMAPSEN). She is also a 2023 CPHIA Journalism Fellow.