National Drug Authority (NDA) has been recognized for the second time as one of the best 2022 Uganda Responsible investment mark of Excellence Award by president Museveni, at the Awards event held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on December 3.
The recognition of NDA’s Award has been as a result of good performance in the delivery of its core regulatory functions, which include control and promotion of the domestic pharmaceutical industry as a means of ensuring sustainable supply of quality essential medicines to the people of Uganda.
“We have licensed 45 domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers to improve local production and also notified 250 herbal medicine products. This growth in the domestic pharmaceutical sector contributes to the sustainable and local supply of affordable and quality essential medicines,” David Nahamya, the Secretary of NDA said.
“We have also ensured that population has immediate access to these medicines at an affordable price, and also reduce the heavy reliance on importation of pharmaceuticals and related trade deficit imbalance and outflow of foreign currency,” he added.
Nahamya said, they have also promoted and supported local production of pharmaceuticals through several initiatives such as providing technical support to local manufacturers, routine inspections and zero taxes on importation of raw materials and equipment.
“Our support has seen improvement and increase in the number of licensed local manufacturing facilities from 14 in 2016 to 45 in 2022 (19 human products, 4 veterinary products including acaricides and veterinary vaccines, 5 herbal / therapeutic foods and 17 surgical instruments and appliances, such as gloves, medical masks and medical oxygen,” Nahamya said.
Hesaid, there are also 11 upcoming local manufacturing facilities, of which one of them will manufacture mRNA vaccines including Covid vaccines and other complex biologics.
“This growth has led to 185 registered locally manufactured conventional (human) products and 250 local traditional medicines (herbal) which will reduce on heavy reliance on foreign imported products,” Nahamya said.
He said the facilities have provided jobs to both the skilled and casual labour job market, thereby contributing to the government`s efforts of providing jobs and improving livelihoods of the unemployed youth.
“The local manufacturers act as apprentice centers for the skilled professionals such as pharmacists, chemists and industrial engineers, thereby providing hands on skills development for our scientists,” Nahamya said.
He said several related local industries such as the packaging industry and other service industries have also benefited from the establishment of local pharmaceutical manufacturers.
“The local pharmaceutical manufacturers will further benefit from NDA international accolades achieved and infrastructure that includeQuality Control Laboratory which is rated at Maturity Level 4 as per the WHO Global Benchmarking classification. This means our testing laboratory for medicines and other healthcare products is credible and internationally recognised in providing accurate test results,” Nahamya said.
He said they recently commissioned microbiological laboratory which enables NDA competently conduct quality control tests for sterile products, thereby ensuring that only safe injectable products are on the market.
“The laboratory tower under construction will enhance the capacity and range of testing services that NDA will be capable of undertaking including medical devices, impurities, and vaccine testing. All this will directly ensure that Ugandan citizens access good quality medicines,” he said.
Nahamya said the award is in recognition of best companies working towards attainment of Uganda Vision 2040 and UN Sustainable Development goals through offering high quality products and services paying taxes, employing Ugandans, respect for rights of workers, supporting productive corporate social responsibility, and environment protection among others.
