NMRC holds first rescheduling of veterinary medicines workshop

WINDHOEK: The Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council in Windhoek on Monday opened its first Rescheduling of Veterinary Medicines stakeholder consultations workshop.

During the first day of the three-day workshop, NMRC representative Bertha Alpo noted that the workshop was motivated by the urgent need to sustainably address antimicrobial resistance which is recognised as a key global challenge. The exercise will align with the Namibia Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan, she added.

‘All medicines, including veterinary medicines, are regulated through the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act under the custodianship of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Animal Health Act under the agriculture ministry allowing the veterinary services directorate to control animal related disease.’

The two ministries, MoHSS and Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform have worked together in apposition of medicines for state-controlled diseases such as rabies and foot and mouth disease amo
ng others, she said.

The objective of the workshop is to serve as a forum for stakeholders to engage, providing inputs of the practicality on the proposed schedules especially the antimicrobials, which will assist the council to have a well-informed decision.

During the same workshop, Ministry of Agriculture veterinarian, Dr Paul Sitwala noted that rescheduling is an important determinant of availability and accessibility in humans and animals, and that it does not matter who can access the medicine as this is important to ensure that the medicine is used in an international manner and that it is aligned with the national action plan for antimicrobial resistance.

NMRC is the national regulation body responsible for ensuring that medicines produced or imported into the country for human or veterinary use are safe and are of acceptable quality. It was established in terms of section 2 in of the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, constituting of 12 members appointed by the minister of health.

Sour
ce: Namibia Press Agency