The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Esperance Luvindao, said the ministry supports the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council's decision to seize defective paracetamol syrup produced by FabuPharm Namibia.

"The NMRC found that FabuPharm's responses to the corrective and preventative actions did not adequately address the identified shortcomings by the NMRC. In light of this and to minimise any potential risk of substandard oral liquid medicines reaching the public, the NMRC instructed FabuPharm to cease manufacturing products on the affected production line until the identified issues are fully resolved."

Dr. Luvindao said the ministry is working with NMRC to ensure FabuPharm fixes all issues and the manufacturing line is only used when NMRC is satisfied.

"Our priority is to ensure that all medicines available to the Namibian people meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and efficacy."

The health minister also talked about the matter of the unapproved import of quinine sulphate tablets in Namibia.

Luvindao said tablets entered the country through the Ngoma border post, which is not the designated port for pharmaceutical imports.

"The imported quinine sulphate is not registered in Namibia, and its sale or distribution is therefore unlawful. Section 27: Council may authorise the sale of unregistered medicines. No authorisation was issued by the council for the sale or the importation of this unregistered medicine; exemption under section 45, no exemption was granted by the minister or any other authoritative figure to permit the import of this unregistered medicine."

She highlighted the need to deploy medicine inspectors at ports of entry, adding that the identified company could face prosecution or be banned from importing medicine.