President Barrow Meets with Pharmacy Association, MCA, and Health Ministry on Medicine Importation Challenges
H.E Adama Barrow meeting with members of the Phramacy Association, MCA and Health Ministry officials
By Fatou Sillah
The Office of the President announced in a press statement dated August 7, 2024, that His Excellency President Adama Barrow welcomed delegates from the Pharmacy Association of The Gambia, the Medicine Control Agency (MCA), and the Ministry of Health on Wednesday.
The statement highlighted that the meeting centered on the challenges faced by the Pharmacy Association of The Gambia due to new MCA regulations concerning the importation of medicines. The Medicine Control Agency implemented these stringent guidelines following the discovery of Acute Kidney Injury cases, which led to the deaths of several children.
“His Excellency President Adama Barrow received delegates from the Pharmacy Association of The Gambia, the Medicine Control Agency (MCA), and the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. The meeting focused on the challenges that the Pharmacy Association of The Gambia is facing due to MCA regulations for the importation of medicines in The Gambia.
“The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has introduced strict guidelines for the import of medicines into the country, in response to the discovery of Acute Kidney Injury cases that resulted in the deaths of several children in The Gambia. The regulations stipulate that all imported medicines must be labelled in English, with the manufacturer’s name and address displayed on the package. Additionally, all medical packages should bear registration numbers assigned by the MCA, and importers are required to provide samples for testing before importation,” The statement reads.
The statement outlined that the President welcomed the pharmaceutical team to the State House for the first time, advised them during the meeting to practice their profession with integrity, and emphasized to them that the new regulations were a necessary response to a tragic incident and that his administration would work to prevent such occurrences in the future. “The status quo cannot be the same; it has changed for good,” the statement highlighted his emphasis to the delegation.
The Director of Drug Evaluation at MCA, Mariama Sima, the statement read, underscored the importance of adhering to the regulations, stating, “We have the ability to recall medicines and track down manufacturers in the event of quality issues.
The press release detailed the Pharmacy Association’s proposal to translate medicine packages that are not in English and to use stickers for labeling. However, Health Minister Dr. Lamin Samateh raised concerns that this approach could lead to future discrepancies between importers and manufacturers. He recommended that the organization engage with stakeholders to explore more flexible labeling practices and secure their support while adhering to regulations.
The press release stated that Mahawa Njie, PRO of the Association, expressed gratitude to the President for addressing their concerns and called for government intervention. He highlighted that recent reforms by the MCA are obstructing drug imports, which has resulted in a shortage of medicines and a rise in prices.
In reply to these concerns, President Barrow emphasized that the medicine shortage should not be used as a rationale for pharmacies to increase prices. He assured that the government remains committed to the nation’s best interests and urged all stakeholders to collaborate to ensure that medicines remain safe, affordable, and accessible to citizens.