TMDA instructed to use AI to identify counterfeit medicines

DODOMA: THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on AIDS Affairs has urged the government to increase and strengthen strategies for providing education to the community on the proper use of medicines and how to identify counterfeit medicines, a measure aimed at protecting the health of citizens and improving the quality of health services in the country.

This was stated by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on AIDS Affairs, Dr. Johannes Lukumay, during a committee meeting that sat and received presentations from the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) and the Office of the Chief Government Chemist.

Dr Lukumay said the government has allocated 6.7tri/- to improve health services and 20bn/- every month for the purchase of medicines, so the investment should be accompanied by sufficient education for the public on the proper use of medicines.

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The committee has also called on relevant authorities to strengthen control of counterfeit and substandard medicines, especially at country borders and airports, to control the importation of substandard medicines.

Lukumay said that despite the achievements that helped reduce the rate of wasted medicines from 10 percent to 1 percent, more efforts are still needed to achieve sustainable control of medicines in the country.

In moving towards the National Development Vision 2030, Dr Lukumay said the goal is to see “the faces of Tanzanians shining” through access to safe medicines and quality health services.

Regarding the use of Technology, he has called on TMDA and the Office of the Chief Government Chemist to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify and control counterfeit medicines.

For his part, the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office – RALGM, Dr Jafar  Seif, said the government continues to improve health services in the country as part of its commitment to ensuring that citizens receive quality, safe and quality services at all times.