The government in Aden directs the Medicines Authority to review import invoices and control prices.
Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special
Aden ((Arabian Sea)) Special: The Prime Minister, Salem Saleh bin Brik, reviewed the procedures for reducing the prices of medicines and medical supplies, in proportion to the improvement in the exchange rate of the national currency, and the efforts of the control and inspection teams in conducting field visits to companies, importers, medicine traders, and pharmacies to follow up on this, apprehend violators, and refer them to legal authorities. During his meeting today, Monday, in the capital Aden, the Prime Minister listened to an explanation from the Executive Director General of the Supreme Authority for Medicines and Medical Supplies, Dr. Abdulqader Al-Bakri, about the measures taken by the Authority regarding drug prices with the positive changes in the exchange rate of the national currency, the circulars it issued, and the inspection and control teams to ensure compliance with implementation. He clarified the supervisory role it plays in regulating the production and import of medicines, verifying their quality and prices, encouraging national pharmaceutical industries, and combating drug smuggling. The Prime Minister affirmed that the government attaches utmost importance to the pharmaceutical sector, as it is directly related to the health and safety of citizens. He stressed the need for the positive changes in the exchange rate of the national currency to be reflected in the prices of medicines and medical supplies immediately and tangibly, in order to alleviate the burdens on citizens and limit the practices of some undisciplined companies and suppliers. The Prime Minister directed the Supreme Authority for Medicines to carry out its supervisory role in controlling the prices of medicines and medical supplies, verifying their quality and conformity to the standards, specifications, and requirements in force regionally and internationally, and developing mechanisms for reviewing import invoices, in addition to enhancing the integrity and transparency of the pricing and distribution process in the local market, preventing monopoly, and ensuring the availability of essential medicines at reasonable prices. He stressed the need to strengthen coordination between the Supreme Authority for Medicines and relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Health and local authorities, to control the pharmaceutical market and prosecute anyone who tampers with the health of citizens or manipulates the prices and types of medicines. The meeting touched on the government's serious orientations to encourage national pharmaceutical industries, grant them the required facilities and exemptions to develop their competitiveness, and work to review the lists of medicines exempt from customs duties and taxes, in order to achieve a balance between stimulating local investment and ensuring market stability. The Prime Minister pointed out that the government is about to issue a decision regarding encouraging investment in the manufacture of medicines and medical supplies as a first stage in localizing the pharmaceutical industry, which would create an incentive for more investment projects in the national pharmaceutical industry sector.
