Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, Minister of Health
Minister of Health Kwaku Agyemang-Manu has issued a directive for the prohibition of some imported medicines into the country.
The restricted list of imported medicines, totalling 49, includes aluminum hydroxide or magnesium trisilicate suspension, amoxicillin capsules and suspension, aspirin or caffeine tablet, folic acid and tablet, cetrizine tablet, co-trimoxazole tablet, diclofenac tablet, oral rehydration salt (ORS), among others.
The directive by the sector minister implies that the 75 percent locally-owned manufacturing pharmaceutical companies in the country will now be the sole providers of such medicines.
The health minister in an executive instrument dated May 10, 2017, and copied to heads of health institutions, directed the Foods and Drug Authority (FDA) authorities to take the necessary steps to implement the ban.
The minister, exercising the powers conferred on him by Section 116 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), explained that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) would not accept new applications for the registration of a medicine on the restricted list.
However, the ban would not affect medicines registered before the implementation of the restricted list, adding that such medicines would be accepted and taken through the requisite registration process for a marketing authorisation to be either granted or denied.
The move by the government is seen a major boost to the local industry and is in compliance with the Africa Union’s Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa which aspires to strengthen Africa’s ability to produce high quality and affordable pharmaceuticals.
The plan was approved by the Heads of State and Governments at the AU Summit in Accra recently.
According to Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG), the banning of such medicines would help grow the industry and provide employment to thousands of Ghanaian youth.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana, Anthony Ameka, also welcomed the ban, saying it was “desperately needed by local manufacturers”.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri