Dar es Salaam, 1st November 2017: National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs) play an important role in promoting and protecting public health from unsafe medicines. The existence of substandard and falsified (SF) medical products is an unacceptable risk to public health. Because of this, drug quality control in the distribution systems is needed for consumer protection. The Minilab kits are simple test methods for rapid medicine quality verification and counterfeit medicines detection in the field.

On 1st November 2017, the Tanzania Food and Drug Authority (TFDA) launched 10 minilab kits which will be used to strengthen its Quality Assurance Programme. The occasion was officiated by Honourable Ummy Mwalimu, Member of Parliament and Minister of Health Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children. Senior officials of various institutions of the Ministry, Representatives of the Ministerial Advisory Board for TFDA, Development Partners, academic institutions, representatives of the private sector and members of the media as well as TFDA management and staff attended the event.

Mr. Hiiti Sillo, the Director General of TFDA, in his welcoming remarks informed all that the Quality Assurance Programme started in 2002 with five minilab kits with support from WHO and the Management Systems for Health. Between the period of 2007/2008 and 2012/2013, approximately 393 samples were screened, this has now increased to 1,485 samples annually. The programme has been very successful in reducing substandard and counterfeit medicines from 3.7% in 2005 down to under 1% in 2017 in the country. The number of minilab kits in the country has now reached 25 and the additional kits will be stationed in different regions and especially at Points of Entries (POEs) to further reinforce the programme.

In his remarks, Dr. Matthieu Kamwa, the WHO Representative (a.i.) emphasized the need to have medicines which are safe, efficacious and of good quality. He reminded the gathering on the challenges of using substandard medicines and hence commended TFDA for their efforts to strengthen the Quality Assurance Programme to ensure that only quality medicines are found in the market.

The Honourable Minister in her address emphasized the need for having medicines of accepted quality, safety and efficacy all manufacturers. She congratulated TFDA for the commendable work they have been doing in enforcing the law. She however cautioned them not to be a hindrance but to facilitate customer satisfaction and thereby contribute to building the economy of Tanzania. Finally, she took the opportunity to alert the population nationwide on the Marburg outbreak in Eastern Uganda. She assured everyone that intensified preparedness efforts are already instituted in all regions that border Uganda.

***The Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) is an Executive Agency under the Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children which is responsible for the control of quality and safety of food, medicines, cosmetics and medical devices for the purpose of protecting public health.