PMRA hails Air Cargo Malawi’s pharma service launch
The Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority (PMRA) has commended Air Cargo Malawi Limited for launching a pharmaceutical service describing the development as a positive step towards improving healthcare outcomes for the country.
The new pharma service will see Air Cargo Malawi Limited in partnership with Emirates Airlines commence transportation of pharma products from Europe, the UAE, India and China to Malawi. Previously, Emirates did not allow Air Cargo Malawi to carry pharmaceutical products due to safety concerns as pharma products are considered high risk.
Speaking when he presided over the launch, PMRA Director General Mphatso Kawaye noted that the service launch is a significant milestone in ensuring the availability and quality of pharmaceutical products in the country.
“The launch of this service is a testament to the critical role that effective logistics plays in ensuring the availability and quality of pharmaceutical products, which subsequently assure key actors in the health sector that patients get the right treatment outcomes,” said Kawaye.
He described the pharmaceutical industry in Malawi as a very important partner in the implementation of the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP III), Malawi 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all of which place much emphasis on universal health coverage with quality, available, equitable and affordable health care, on one hand, and efficient drug supply chain management through monitoring of quality of medicines and medical supplies, on the other.
Kawaye observed that the medicines regulatory environment in the country places immerse responsibility on pharmaceutical wholesalers as authorized importers of medicines, to make sure that the right medicine transportation requirements are met.
Added Kawaye: “Although the regulatory environment has placed this responsibility in the hands of the pharmaceutical wholesalers as importers, the quality assurance of products in transit including cold chain products is unfortunately not within their sphere of control.”
He then expressed optimism that the coming of Air Cargo Malawi Pharma Service will fill the gap and provide sustainable support to the importer in complying with the law as it relates to storage and transportation of temperature controlled pharmaceutical products.
He called on players in the pharmaceutical sector to complement the Air Cargo pharma service by ensuring that appropriate regulatory procedures are adhered to, both before and after the shipment of consignments.
Said Kawaye: “Let us realize that our proactive participation on the regulatory side partnered with Air Cargo Pharma’s expertise on the pharmaceutical handling side will create a highly efficient transportation solution for our temperature sensitive pharmaceutical products and contribute towards timely access to quality medicines for Malawians.”
PMRA hails Air Cargo Malawi’s pharma service launch
The Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority (PMRA) has commended Air Cargo Malawi Limited for launching a pharmaceutical service describing the development as a positive step towards improving healthcare outcomes for the country.
The new pharma service will see Air Cargo Malawi Limited in partnership with Emirates Airlines commence transportation of pharma products from Europe, the UAE, India and China to Malawi. Previously, Emirates did not allow Air Cargo Malawi to carry pharmaceutical products due to safety concerns as pharma products are considered high risk.
Speaking when he presided over the launch, PMRA Director General Mphatso Kawaye noted that the service launch is a significant milestone in ensuring the availability and quality of pharmaceutical products in the country.
“The launch of this service is a testament to the critical role that effective logistics plays in ensuring the availability and quality of pharmaceutical products, which subsequently assure key actors in the health sector that patients get the right treatment outcomes,” said Kawaye.
He described the pharmaceutical industry in Malawi as a very important partner in the implementation of the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP III), Malawi 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all of which place much emphasis on universal health coverage with quality, available, equitable and affordable health care, on one hand, and efficient drug supply chain management through monitoring of quality of medicines and medical supplies, on the other.
Kawaye observed that the medicines regulatory environment in the country places immerse responsibility on pharmaceutical wholesalers as authorized importers of medicines, to make sure that the right medicine transportation requirements are met.
Added Kawaye: “Although the regulatory environment has placed this responsibility in the hands of the pharmaceutical wholesalers as importers, the quality assurance of products in transit including cold chain products is unfortunately not within their sphere of control.”
He then expressed optimism that the coming of Air Cargo Malawi Pharma Service will fill the gap and provide sustainable support to the importer in complying with the law as it relates to storage and transportation of temperature controlled pharmaceutical products.
He called on players in the pharmaceutical sector to complement the Air Cargo pharma service by ensuring that appropriate regulatory procedures are adhered to, both before and after the shipment of consignments.
Said Kawaye: “Let us realize that our proactive participation on the regulatory side partnered with Air Cargo Pharma’s expertise on the pharmaceutical handling side will create a highly efficient transportation solution for our temperature sensitive pharmaceutical products and contribute towards timely access to quality medicines for Malawians.”
PMRA, NAC call for vigilance against false claims about HIV cure
The Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority (PMRA) and the National AIDS Commission (NAC) have called for vigilance against increasing spread of social media claims about supposed permanent cure for HIV.
PMRA Director General Mphatso Kawaye and NAC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Beatrice Matanje made the call in Lilongwe on Wednesday when the two organizations addressed the media.
The call follows recent joint investigations by NAC and PMRA, in collaboration with Malawi Police Service (MPS), which have uncovered disturbing trend where some unscrupulous individuals are tampering with labels of known medicines and later advertise the falsified medicines as “Gammora HIV Cure”, falsely claimed to be permanent cure for HIV.
PMRA and NAC stress that there is no cure for HIV and that consistent treatment with Anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) is the only effective way to manage HIV. They have since advised people living with HIV to consult healthcare professionals and avoid taking medication without prescriptions.
Read the full joint statement here.
Parliament praises PMRA’s commitment to fighting corruption
The Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament has commended Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority (PMRA) for demonstrating serious commitment to the fight against corruption within the organization.
Committee Vice Chairperson Hon. Yusuf Nthenda made the remarks in Lilongwe on Friday when PMRA Institutional Integrity Committee (IIC) appeared before the parliamentary committee to appraise it of the progress the IIC has made in the implementation of anti-corruption activities in line with the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS II).
Nthenda applauded PMRA Management’s commitment to allocating adequate funds for IIC activities, citing it as a tangible demonstration of the seriousness and resolve required to combat corruption effectively.
“We can only contain corruption if we are serious in our fight against the vice. PMRA has demonstrated that they are serious and as a Committee we are satisfied with the progress they have made so far,” he said.
The Committee has since urged PMRA to ensure it has in place a whistleblower protection policy to facilitate safe and confidential channel for employees to report corruption.
In his remarks, PMRA Director General Mphatso Kawaye assured the Committee of management’s resolve to supporting activities of the IIC. He reiterated the Authority’s commitment to pursuing zero tolerance to all forms of corruption, strengthen PMRA’s institutional integrity, foster a culture of transparency and accountability, and ultimately contribute towards promotion of good governance in the pharmaceutical sector.
On her part, PMRA IIC Chairperson Irene Dzanjalimodzi expressed her committee’s commitment to implementing the recommendations and guidance provided by the Legal Affairs Committee. She assured that the IIC will utilize this expert advice to ensure effective implementation of its future anti-corruption activities.
PMRA established its IIC in February, 2023 to spearhead anti-corruption efforts within the organization. The objectives of the PMRA IIC are to ensure increased knowledge on corruption prevention mechanisms to members of staff and stakeholders; strengthened measures for the prevention and detection of corruption; and enhanced reporting mechanisms for suspected corrupt practices.
Notice of August, 2024 Registration Exams for Pharmacy Personnel
The Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority (PMRA) hereby announces that registration examinations for Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technologists and Pharmacy Assistants will be administered as follows:
| MZUZU | LILONGWE | BLANTYRE | |
| Time | 08h00 | 08h00 | 08h00 |
| Date (s) | 1st – 2nd August, 2024 | 1st – 2nd August, 2024 | 1st – 2nd August, 2024 |
| Venue | Grand Palace Hotel | Crossroads Hotel | Victoria Hotel |
Eligible candidates who are interested to sit for these examinations are requested to confirm to PMRA by submitting duly filled registration application form with all required documents not later than 17h00 of 13th July, 2024.
Application forms for both new applicants as well as those resitting the examinations, can be accessed on PMRA website www.pmra.mw or directly from PMRA office’s reception.
For further information and/or clarification please contact PMRA on 0999 708 450 / 0881 790 993/0999379544 or email at info@pmra.mw.
PMRA, MACRA court dealers of traditional medicines, broadcasters on TCM adverts
The Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority (PMRA) and Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) have jointly held orientation meetings with dealers of traditional and complementary medicines (TCM) and broadcasters in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu on advertisement and promotion of traditional medicines.
The two organisations were in Blantyre on Tuesday, Lilongwe on Thursday and Mzuzu on Friday to orient the TCM dealers and owners of broadcasting media houses on the regulation of advertisement and promotion of traditional medicines as provided for in the PMRA Act, 2019.
Section 68 (2) of the PMRA Act states that advertisement of any medicine or allied substance shall require prior screening and approval by the Authority.
Speaking when he presided over the orientation meeting in Blantyre, Allied Substances Sub-Committee Chairperson Bright Lipenga said regulation of the TCM products advertisements was aimed at ensuring that only true information is being disseminated to the public and that the public makes informed decisions based on this true information.
Said Lipenga: “Production of traditional and complementary medicines at industrial scale has resulted in the need for advertisement and promotion of the same.
“Considering that these advertisements are for specialised products and main target are vulnerable people, some of them who are in a desperate need to be helped, there is a need to regulate information being disseminated to the public.”
On his part, MACRA’s Deputy Director of Broadcasting, Kelton Masangano echoed Lipenga’s sentiments saying the Communications Act, 2016 also empowers MACRA to regulate broadcast media content including advertisements hence his organisation’s decision to work with PMRA on the enforcement of regulation of TCM products advertisements.
PMRA and MACRA in November last year signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on collaboration on advertisement and promotion of traditional medicines with the overall objective to jointly oversee operationalisation of the requirement of the PMRA Act to have all advertisements traditional medicines vetted before they are broadcast.
Mr. Chance Munthali – Vice Board Chairperson
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Dr. Enock Ludzu – Member
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Mr. John Mhango – Member
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Mr. William Mpute – Member
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