Somalia: Puntland’s Health Ministry Vows to deal with ‘Counterfeit drugs’

Published: March 31, 2014
Somalia: Puntland Health Ministry Vows to deal with ‘Counterfeit drugs’
Puntland Health Minister Sadik Enow

Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland Health Ministry is launching a major crackdown on counterfeit drug sellers throughout the region.

Dr Sadik Enow, Puntland Minister of Health said that the new administration will introduce a new strategy whereby the health sector will be regulated, and enable the control of the quality of medicine products imported into the region.

He added that teams of monitors will be touring the region’s health centers and ensure counterfeit drugs are not being sold, and raising awareness of the dangers of non-prescribed drugs.

‘’ We are making frantic efforts to ensure that sufficient quantities of legitimate drugs are sold to the people. Therefore we inform all businessmen and other individuals involved in this business to clear their stores and take away the medicines four months prior to their expiry dates’’, he said.

Businessmen and Foreign Companies import medicines from Asian and Other African Countries.

He warned that any businessmen, who fail to follow the new regulations will be heavily penalized.

Since the collapse of the Central government in 1991, Pharmaceutical market in Somalia has not been regulated; this has resulted the country to become a booming market for counterfeits of different products including medicine.

Due to Lack of an effective health sector body, the easiest way to become a pharmacist in Somalia is by installing a small kiosk or pharmacy.

Last month, Puntland Health ministry deported a Kenyan doctor after examining his credentials, which turned to be ‘’fraudulent’’.

Most of the businessmen in the war-ravaged country believe that they have performed a vital service when medicine was in a critical shortage in the 1990s, the beginning of chaos.

Businessmen are also accused of importing drugs that have not been prescribed and some of them already banned from the world.

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