KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced that a coordination meeting was held to facilitate the transfer of samples collected at the country’s customs points to central laboratories—an initiative aimed at preventing substandard medicines and health products from entering the market.
According to a ministry statement, the meeting focused on introducing and implementing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the MoPH’s Food and Drug Deputy and the state-owned Afghan Post company.
Participants included representatives from the Directorate for Regulation of Drug Imports and Exports, Afghan Post officials, heads of food and drug departments from all 34 provinces, and a number of technical specialists.
The ministry said the agreement seeks to establish a systematic, transparent, and efficient mechanism for transferring customs-collected samples to central laboratories for the evaluation of the quality, efficacy, and safety of medicines and other health products.
The initiative is intended to curb the entry of substandard products into the market and strengthen the protection of public health.
The statement added that the MoU’s provisions, the sample transfer procedures, and the roles and responsibilities of the relevant entities were clearly outlined during the meeting.
Under the new mechanism, samples collected for inspection and regulatory control at customs will be transported securely and in accordance with standards to central laboratories via Afghan Post.
The program also underscored the importance of stronger coordination between central and provincial offices, expediting the transfer process, enhancing awareness among provincial officials, and ensuring the effective implementation of the system.
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