Somalia’s Ministry of Health takes strides to strengthen medicines regulation and improve healthcare

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Somalia’s Ministry of Health has announced to regulate various medical sectors, including medicines, medical devices, biologics, herbal medicines, and medicated cosmetics, which is aimed at bolstering the nation’s healthcare system,

The Ministry stated the announcement in a statement released on Saturday, highlighting its plan to implement registration, permit licenses, quality inspections, and overall control measures by July 20, 2023.

“The Importers of medical products, Medicated cosmetics, and Herbal Medicines are advised to contact the Interim National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) office under the Ministry of Health and Human Services for further information related to this matter,” the statement reads.

By emphasizing the importance of ensuring the effectiveness of medical products, the Ministry aims to foster confidence among patients and the community regarding the quality of available medicines, thereby enhancing overall healthcare outcomes in the country.

The Ministry recalled the assessment report conducted by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, which evaluated the status of the medicines regulatory system in Somalia.

The assessment utilized the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool, and the results indicated that the regulatory system in Somalia is at maturity level 1, which is the lowest level.