Health Minister Sylvia Masebo has offered clarification regarding the recent testing of pharmaceuticals supplied to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA). In a ministerial statement presented to Parliament, Minister Masebo disclosed that out of the 58 items supplied by Mission Pharma, only one batch of Erythromycin was found to be non-compliant after undergoing testing at the National Quality Control Laboratory.
Assuring the public, Minister Masebo emphasized that the remaining 57 items were determined to be compliant after thorough testing, alleviating concerns about the overall quality of the pharmaceuticals.
However, she revealed that Mission Pharma, the supplier of the drugs, has contested the test results provided by ZAMRA (Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority). The supplier has insisted on an independent re-test and rejected the initial findings. As a result, the Research Institute of Industrial Pharmacy from South Africa has been engaged to conduct the re-testing.
In response to a question from Nyimba Member of Parliament Menyani Zulu regarding the possibility of engaging local manufacturers for health kit supplies, Minister Masebo acknowledged the government’s efforts in establishing pharmaceutical industries within the country. While acknowledging the potential challenge in meeting the demand solely through local suppliers, she affirmed the government’s commitment to increasing the number of manufacturing plants in the country.
Source: Lusaka Times
