Policy review, training needed for better licit drug control |17 May 2005

Representatives from Comoros, Djibouti and Seychelles met for five days last week to discuss how countries could improve their control of licit drugs, which in the wrong hands can be converted into dangerous substances.

The three countries represent part of a 13-nation United Nations project to control licit drugs in East Africa.

Discussions during the tail end of the week, which involved officers from the Customs Department, focused on specific measures that could tighten control on licit drugs, to make sure their end use is with patients that need it.

According to senior pharmacist Amie Totin of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, customs officers who come into contact with licit drugs at the country’s points of entry need to know why health services need them, and also why they should be controlled.

Improvement in the control of licit drug stocks also rests in large part with the ministry, which is working on improving its quantification methods to estimate how much the country requires, she said, noting that monitoring the movement of stocks was important as well.

Locally, the recommendations from the meeting called for a review of the outdated Pharmacy Act, as well as the overall National Drugs Policy.

Ms Totin, who is the country’s focal point for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said more training was also required for pharmaceutical inspectors, which are needed along distribution channels of licit drugs.

The workshop also cited the need for better control of psychiatric drugs.