By Chisomo Phiri

The Pharmacy and Medicine Regulatory Authority (PMRA) has refuted reports that Malawi is among the countries with the highest proportion of substandard medicine.

Speaking on Tuesday in Lilongwe, PMRA Director Mphatso Kawaye refuted claims from a study by Bashir Dar University in Ethiopia, which alleged that Malawi ranks among the highest in terms of substandard and falsified medicines.

He pointed out that the study only focused on private hospitals, excluding government-owned ones.

“The study implied that Malawi has the highest percentage of substandard medications.

“However, PMRA has refuted these findings, pointing out flaws in the methodology employed in the 2015 Malawi study that was utilized in the review,” he stated.

Kawaye assured the public that pharmaceuticals in Malawi uphold high standards, supported by a rigorous system of regular quality monitoring and testing.

“The Authority’s National Medicines Quality Control Laboratory, accredited under ISO 17025, gathers and examines samples obtained from both public and private healthcare facilities,” he said.

Director of Health and Technical Support in the Ministry of Health, Godfrey Kadewere, said while institutions of higher learning are mandated to conduct studies, they should be cautious to avoid causing public panic.

Kadewere also urged the public to trust information issued through official channels.

Data from PMRA indicates that the country has about 4 percent of substandard medicine.