By Binta Jaiteh
Amadou Camara Chairperson of the National Assembly select committee on Health, Disaster, Refugees and Humanitarian Relief inquiry report on the Acute Kidney Injury has urged the Government to pursue legal action against Maiden Pharmaceuticals for exporting contaminated drugs to the Gambia with the Atlantic brand name.
Honourable Camara made this call at the laying of the AKI report after the thorough investigation of the saga by the health committee. He argued that MCA should blacklist Maiden Pharmaceuticals products and ban all their products in the Gambian market.
He stressed that the investigation revealed that Atlantic pharmacy in the Gambia had followed all regulations for the importation of medicines including the batch that had the contaminated syrups while challenging the government to strengthen MCA’s capacity with the needed financial aid, infrastructure, and human resources to ensure effective and efficient implementation of its regulatory functions.
“MCA should ensure compliance by both the public and private sectors to the regulatory requirements of the Medicines and Related Products Act, 2014. MCA should also operate as an autonomous agency for effective and efficient regulation that will enable the government to strengthen the hospitals with the required medical products/supplies for effective and efficient management of patients,” he observed.
Further addressing the committee, the chairperson also said MCA must increase background checks on companies from which pharmacies or importers buy medicines.
Honourable Camara said proper background checks will ensure the proper purchase of medical products from high-quality companies, and they could also get certificates of analysis for the products.
