The National Drug Authority (NDA) has unveiled a state-of-the-art microbiology laboratory expected to boost medicine quality and capacity in due course.
The laboratory expands NDA scope to test the quality and safety of sterile products like vaccines which have for decades been tested through the World Health Organisation (WHO) pre-qualified laboratories.
This according to the authority has been causing significant delays and increasing the cost of the drugs.
Speaking at the laboratory launch, the minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, said the facility comes with several opportunities for the health sector and the country at large.
“I was glad to commission the NDA pharmacological microbiology laboratory. The state-of-the-art laboratory is safe and of high quality. I am glad to note that NDA is doing its best to ensure that we have safe and quality products,” she said.
She noted that it was an important milestone towards safeguarding the public from consuming substandard pharmaceutical products.
Abiaz Rwamwiri, the public relations manager at NDA noted that previously some of the vaccines were being tested through other prequalified laboratories abroad including Ethiopia, South Africa and the United States and Germany.
He said the lab will help the authority to save time for its stakeholders, especially the importers of injectables which will impact on the prices of the medicines hence saving the lives of people.
Officials said the laboratory is also capable of testing foods, adding that if there is a public concern about many food products like yoghurt.
