Counterfeit drugs a major burden

Even if there is no database showing the current situation, counterfeit drugs remain a threat in the country.Pfizer, an International Pharmaceutical company, recently held a three-day workshop to discuss strategies of how counterfeit drugs can be combated.Pierre Souverain, the Senior Regional Security Manager for Pfzier, said counterfeit drugs are a global phenomenon, noting that last year alone, over 11.3 million Pfizer drugs were counterfeited in 45 countries.Souverain stated that Rwanda is among consumers of Pfzier drugs therefore there is a possibility that it could fall prey to the scam.“There are many counterfeits on the market which are a threat to people’s health and safety so we should combine effort to overcome this problem,” he added.He said Pfzier carries out free laboratory analysis whenever there is suspicion of its drugs being counterfeited.The Pfzier representative also said that they came with a machine known as a Truscan, a tool for field visits in pharmacies and inspection of medicine to check authenticity of the drugs.He said that the estimated cost of the machine was $40,000 and it would help fight counterfeits.He maintains that control of the supply chain of where the product is coming from is very vital in combating counterfeits.Regional cooperation criticalJohn Patrick Mwesigye, in-Charge of Pharmacy Services in the Ministry of Health, says that the supply chain in the country is going to be monitored to eliminate sub-standard medicine.“We also hope to partner with the other East Africa states to have a harmonised regulatory framework. We need to establish a strong market surveillance system to combat counterfeit drugs,” Mwesigye said.Lambert Ingabire, a Pharmacist at King Faisal who has also worked with a private pharmacy before, said that there are definitely cases of counterfeits in Rwanda such as some of the injectables.“We get to meet cases of fake drugs as they don’t give the expected result as prescribed. However, it’s easy for us to tell because we have the expertise but it would be difficult for someone else who has no knowledge on medicine,” Ingabire said.Rwanda has no quality control laboratory for drugs, according to officials.He noted that once Rwanda gets its own quality control laboratory, then there won’t be a problem of counterfeits or ineffective medicine anymore.Ingabire stated that counterfeits are common with generic medicine, which at times is rebranded when expired.The Pfzier executive said that hundreds of thousands of people lose lives because of using counterfeit medicine.Dr Claver Kayumba, the Acting Director of Rwanda Biomedical Centre, said that Rwanda already has an action plan for combating counterfeits.He said that they would provide basic skills to health professionals, especially those who deal with medicine, on how to identify counterfeit drugs.On this he said they are working with other institutions including Rwanda Bureau of Standards and the National Police.“We have also provided a hotline (114) for people to call in and report fake drugs and those of poor quality. The public should also be aware of the basics of suspecting counterfeits,” he added.Kayumba also decried the challenge of having a weak regulatory system as there is currently no drug regulatory system.Drugs have to be sent for inspection to other countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa and sometimes Europe.He however hastened to add that funds are already in place for the laboratory to avoid the expenses and other uncertainties.Kayumba said that 25 to 50 percent of drugs in developing countries are most likely to be counterfeits.He added that Rwanda imports most of its drugs from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania of which Tanzania was recently suspected to be having over 60 percent counterfeit drugs.