MCAZ response pleases GOVT

Laura Maposa

GOVERNMENT is pleased with the response by the Medicine Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) to promote local manufacturing of medicines, and medical products.

Speaking at the MCAZ 2022 annual general meeting, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr John Mangwiro, said:

“I am pleased that the MCAZ has responded to the Government’s call of promoting local manufacturing of medicines and medical products through the establishment of the Small Business Support Unit (SBS).

“This is in line with my Ministry’s 2021-2023 strategic plan.

“This plan seeks to increase local medicines manufacturing to imported medicines ratio from 20:80 to 80:20.

“The SBS unit is to provide local manufacturing support and facilitative assistance, under the Key Programme of Bio-Medical Engineering, Bio-Medical Science, Pharmaceutical and BioPharmaceutical Production,” he said.

Dr Mangwiro said he was pleased the Authority was providing advisory services.

“I am pleased that the Authority continues to provide customer advisory services to Greenfield Pharmaceutical Investments in the human health and animal sectors and continue to support the local pharmaceutical industry on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) road maps.

“As the Government, we are promoting local production of both herbal and generic western medicines. “This reduces our expenditure of foreign currency on importing health commodities,” he added.

He also hailed the role MCAZ played in the National Covid-19 Response Strategy.

“The Authority made sure that the country rolls out the National Vaccination strategy successfully by issuing emergency use authorisations (EUs) for Covid-19 vaccines.

“This has seen the Government relaxing the Covid-19-induced restrictions and life getting back to normal as evidenced by our gathering here today.”