Recommendation to set up pharmaceutical authority

THE Public Accounts Committee has recommended the setting up of a National Pharmaceutical Authority and to create a division within it to be responsible for medicine safety, regulation, licensing and testing.
It is one of the 12 recommendations tabled in Parliament yesterday by the committee which conducted on inquiry into the procurement, supply and distribution of medicines in the country.

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Committee chairman Sir John Pundari said they also recommended a central distribution system led by Post PNG to control all medicine and drug entering the country, “ensuring that they all pass through a single-entry point”.
Other recommendations include:

• creating a medical online profile for each citizen;
• the Government control the price of medicines and drugs;
• having a central facility to pack and warehouse medicines;
• conducting testing at the national drug laboratory immediately;
• the UPNG Medical Faculty in Port Moresby be upgraded into a stand-alone university and for more nursing colleges to be built which can also train pharmacists;
• Involving development partners in a more centralised system;
• Government to procure medicines on behalf of pharmacies;
• Subsidise medicines for public health from private proceeds; and,
• create a partnership with church missions to run government health facilities.

Sir John challenged MPs to make the necessary changes to improve the medicine procurement, supply and distribution system using the National Pharmaceutical Authority. The National
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