Tag: MCAZ

Zim, Botswana medical products regulators renew MoU

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has restored its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority (BoMRA) to bolster their partnership in medical products regulation. The first MoU was signed in November 2020 and it was for three years. “The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) is pleased to announce the renewal of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority (BoMRA),” said MCAZ director general Mr Richard Rukwata in a statement. “This renewed partnership underscores the commitment of both…

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Zim medicines regulator attains WHO Maturity Level 3

Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has been certified as a Maturity Level 3 (ML3) medicines and vaccines (non producing) regulator by the World Health Organization (WHO) making it the sixth African country to attain this level on the continent. Zimbabwe joins the United Republic of Tanzania in 2018, Ghana in 2020, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of South Africa and the Arab Republic of Egypt in 2022 as the only countries that have attained the Level 3 benchmark. After a comprehensive assessment and the…

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MCAZ raids Caledonia shops

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) on Wednesday raided and confiscated illegal medicines from six shops in Caledonia, close to Old Tafara. Forfeited were unregistered medicines, expired drugs, and even registered medicines being sold unlawfully in the Gazebo area of Caledonia, Mabvuku. In a statement, MCAZ Director General Mr Richard Rukwata said this raid was done in partnership with the Zimbabwe Republic Police Drug and Narcotics Unit. “Today, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Drugs and Narcotics…

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Zim, SA medical products regulators sign MOU

Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), allowing the two regulators to develop a cooperative partnership towards ensuring access to safe, quality, and effective health products in the respective countries. This is the second MOU following the signing ceremony between MCAZ and the Egyptian Drug Authority (FDA) last year. MCAZ and SAHPRA will cooperate in joint products reviews and inspections to enable efficient access to health products. This partnership will also…

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MCAZ seizes illegal cough syrups BronCleer and Adco-Salterpyn

Kuda Pembere and Nthokozo Gudu

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) yesterday impounded 450 bottles of cough syrups in Belvedere, Harare. By Kuda Pembere and Nthokozo Gudu The Authority working with CID drugs and narcotics confiscated bottles of BronCleer and Adco-Salterpyn which are unregistered medical products in the country during a raid in the area. After an anonymous tipoff, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has successfully confiscated a total of 450 Bottles of illegal cough syrups (BronCleer and Adco-Salterpyn) during a raid conducted at Old Trafford flats located at 13 Edmond Avenue,…

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MCAZ revokes codeine exporters’ licenses

Kuda Pembere

Some Zimbabwean wholesale pharmaceutical operators had their licenses revoked after the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) discovered that they were illegally exporting Histalix D, a locally manufactured cough syrup product. to Zambia and Mozambique, By Kuda Pembere Addressing a press conference on Monday MCAZ Head Licencing and Enforcement Division Mrs Caroline Dandira-Samatanga noted that the revokement of licenses or permits was part of its contributions to the fight against drug and substance abuse. “MCAZ’s primary responsibility is to regulate medicines and medical devices in Zimbabwe. Through our robust regulatory…

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Zimbabwe’s Pharmaceutical Industry On Chokehold

Michael Gwarisa

High Compliance and regulatory risk, coupled with steep production costs, unending power cuts, and import-related costs for pharmaceutical products and raw materials, have stifled growth in the local pharmaceutical manufacturing and retail sector, Industry players have said. By Michael Gwarisa The high costs of doing business have had a ripple effect on the consumers as the cost of pharmaceutical products locally is beyond the reach of many and in some cases, has led to drug stock-outs as operators struggle to produce and procure pharmaceutical products from source markets. Speaking at…

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MCAZ in Global Benchmarking Tool Maturity Level 3 Upbeat Mode

Kuda Pembere

With the Vice President and Health and Child Care Minister Dr Constantine Chiwenga exhorting the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) to attain the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) Maturity Level 3 by year end, the authority says it is well on course as they are now waiting for reassessment. By Kuda Pembere Speaking at the MCAZ Annual General Meeting in Harare on Friday, VP Chiwenga said this GBT is important as it guides regulatory programs of various medical products such as medicines, vaccines, blood products, and…

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MCAZ bans errant pharmaceutical players

Kuda Pembere

THE Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has barred 16 pharmaceutical operators in the retail and wholesale sectors from operating following a blitz which saw them at fault of different issues such as selling unregistered medicines and failure to account for prescription preparation medicines, HealthTimes has learned. By Kuda Pembere The deviant operators included individuals and premises, and some have been banned from operating till March 2024. Others will have their ban lifted in June 2026. “Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) advises its stakeholders of the cancellation of the…

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MCAZ amends medicine registration requirements

Kuda Pembere

THE Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) recently reviewed the conditions of registration of medicines for better monitoring and analyzing the efficacy as well as the quality of imported and locally manufactured medicines. By Kudakwashe Pembere The Authority which effected this amendment since July 7, 2023, said they are there to ensure that safety, effectiveness and quality of a medicine is maintained throughout its life cycle. This will see applicants having their medicines assessed after every five years in accordance with the current norms and standards. Applicants are required to…

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