Fake Medicines in Isles Markets

By Issa Yussuf

Zanzibar — The 'Zanzibar Food, Drugs & Cosmetics Board (ZFDB)' members staff have been urged to ensure that all medicines and consumable items for distribution or sale are safe.

"Dishonest members of the business community have been selling substandard or expired products including medicines in the market. This must be stopped," Mr Zahran Ali Hamad, the Director of Central Medical Stores said.

He was speaking at the meeting involving pharmacists to discuss 'control of the distribution of medicines', where participants were told that they have the means to control unsafe drugs before they reach the consumer.

ZFDB was established in 2007 to ensure the Safety and Quality of Food, Drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and related products in Zanzibar.

The core regulatory function of the ZFDB includes product inspection,registration and quality control. It also does public awareness on the safety and quality through various mass media.

Mr Hamad emphasized on validity, standard and safety of the drugs to avoid health consequences after using substandard or expired medicines.

"Zanzibar forms the United Republic of Tanzania, so we are obliged to have better and standard health services in order to compete with other countries in the East African Region," Mr Hamad said.

The Registrar of ZFDB, Dr Burhani Othman Sima, said that training of his staff was among strategies designed to control circulation of counterfeit and expired drugs in the islands.

He appealed to the government to increase the number of qualified pharmacists, which will help regulate medicines market.

Source: Daily News