Fiji will now be able to buy medicines and medical supplies directly from India.
This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between India’s Minister for External Affairs & Textiles, Pabitra Margherita and Assistant Minister for Health & Medical Services Honourable Penioni Ravunawa.
All medicine and medical supplies will now go through India Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), an autonomous body under India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
IPC is responsible for setting minimum quality standards for medicines imported and manufactured for sale, stock or exhibition for sale or distribution in India, through the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP).
“Through the Ministry of Health & Medical Services is grateful in the sense that we will be able to regulate and import medicinal products from India,” said Mr Ravunawa.
“This MoU will support Fiji’s current efforts to strengthen its medicinal products regulatory system to ensure the health and safety of Fijians by ensuring medicinal products such as medicines and medical devices are safe, effective, and of high quality.”
Based on the Fiji Medicines Regulatory Authority (Fiji MRAs) market authorisation processes and requirements, the Ministry shall recognise the India Pharmacopoeia (IP) as one of the standards for medicinal products manufactured in India for use in Fiji, where the standard meets or exceeds Fiji’s regulatory requirements.
