Committee: Govt should revoke licences of fake drugs importers

The Parliamentary Committee for HIV/Aids yesterday advised the government to revoke licenses of businesspersons who import fake drugs in the country, not only ARVs but all types of drugs because they endanger people’s lives for no reason.

Meanwhile, the committee commended the government for measures it has taken following the discovery of fake drugs distributed in Tarime district hospital, including the suspension of Medical Store Department (MSD) officials to pave investigation.

Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday the HIV/Aids Committee Chairperson Lediana Mng'ong'o said after the incident they met up with Tanzania Aids Forum to hear their views concerning the matter. “It's very sad that people are selling fake drugs without thinking of the side effects the users will face from using these drugs… it is our hope that such incident does not happen again since it is not easy for some users to identify fake drugs,” he said.

The committee also advised the government to address the legislators in the next parliamentary session which is schedule for next month, on how far they have gone in their investigation so as to end the fear among users created by the incident.

Also the committee advised the government to continue making follow-ups to ensure all fake medicines are not in health centres and increase supply of ARVs countrywide.

She called upon the ARVs users to continue using them and those who stopped fearing to encounter the fake ones, should start again because the government has already ensured that there are no fake drugs in health centers.

On Wednesday the Minister for Health and Social Welfare Dr. Hussein Mwinyi suspended MSD Director General Joseph Mgaya and two other officials to pave way for investigation following allegations of distribution of fake anti-retroviral drugs.

The fake drug was known as ARV TT-VIR 30 batch number OC.01.85 manufactured in March 2011 and to expire in February 2013. It has also ordered suspension of drug production by Tanzania Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TPI) until the investigation is complete.

The other two MSD officials are the Quality Assurance Manager, Sadik Materu and Quality Assurance Officer Daudi Maselo.

The decision was reached after an inspection conducted by the Tanzania Food Drugs Authority and other experts countrywide following the discovery of fake drugs distributed by MSD in the Tarime district hospital.