20 May 2019

The public has been advised to stop using drugs without the prescription of qualified health personnel.

Inspection and licensing at Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority (BoMRA) director, Dr Seima Dijeng expressed concern at the increasing sales and distribution of medicines and cosmetics through unathorised and illegal platforms.

Dr Dijeng shared his concerns during a roadshow at Mahalapye Bus Rank last week.

He said BoMRA was established by government through the Medicines and Related Substances Act to ensure that all human and veterinary medicines, medical devices, cosmetics and related substances conformed to established quality, safety and efficacy.

He said BoMRA started operating in 2018 taking over from the Drug Regulating Authority which was under the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Department of Veterinary Services.

Dr Dijeng said BoMRA was at the initial stage of educating the public and other stakeholders about its mandate.   

“We are currently consulting the community and all relevant stakeholders and gathering relevant information to assist in executing our mandate,” he said, adding that by the end of the year, they would have a clear picture of what they were dealing with.

He noted that routine inspections were carried out at pharmacies to ensure compliance, and that their main challenge was the illegal sale of cosmetics, medicines and medical devices in informal markets.

Dr Dijeng said the authority occasionally received reports from members of the public and the police of some members of the community who were channeling unathorised medicines through unathorised distribution channels.

“Even though some of the medicines were authorised to be used in the country, it was wrong to obtain and distribute them without the requisite skills,” he said.

He said some individuals were caught selling medicine at illegal points during raids with the assistance of the police.

He said contraceptives that were not registered were discovered on sale in the market while some distributors were caught in possession of tablets believed to be used to commit illegal abortion.

Dr Dijeng said a drug prescribed for a certain use should not be used for something else, as it could yield negative results.

He called on the community to join hands with BoMRA to fight the illegal use of medicines.

He said another developing phenomenon was the use of social media to market and distribute unathorised medicines as well as an increase in sales of medicines and related substances believed to supplement diet, boost the immune system and even boost sexual appetite.

Dr Dijeng admitted that it was not easy to regulate medicines, cosmetics and medical devices sold on line and through the black market as opposed to pharmacies.

He said the goal was to develop enforcement strategies in collaboration with other stakeholders like the Botswana Police Service to assist in dealing with the unathorised marketing and distribution of medicines.

“Some do it knowingly while others are not aware that selling medicines in an unathorised location and without the requisite skills is unlawful, and our intention is to increase public knowledge through different platforms,” he said.

He said they would like to build a robust regulatory structure, adding that illegal distributors did not comply and follow the regulated framework.

Dr Dijeng revealed that traditional medicine did not fall under BoMRA’s mandate, adding however, that the activities of traditional doctors were under the Ministry of Health and Wellness through their mother body, Dingaka Association.

He said those trading in traditional medicines must be encouraged to sell products that complied with the set health standards.

“All we can do is to educate the public to avoid taking concoctions with content and dosage that is not prescribed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kgosi Tshipe Tshipe noted the negative impact of illegal medicines on the community, as some individuals were left with serious health conditions like skin cancer after using products that were not prescribed.

He appealed to the community to heed advice from health practitioners and use drugs for their prescribed use.

He said the use of illegal medicines and cosmetics not only left individuals with health problems, but also gave health practitioners a headache in trying to prescribe medicines to counteract them. ENDS