Fabupharm paracetamol syrupcleared

The Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC) has cleared Fabupharm Pty Ltd’s paracetamol syrup for use after independent tests confirmed its safety.

The clearance was done in May when president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah visited the pharmaceutical manufacturer at Otjiwarongo, however, notice confirming the product’s safety was only released yesterday by the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

The syrup was recalled last year after a routine inspection at Fabupharm’s oral liquid dosage block identified several shortcomings.

The directive followed pressure from parliamentarian Job Amupanda, who urged the regulator to act after claiming he had evidence its children’s paracetamol syrup was unsafe.

At the time, Fabupharm maintained its products are manufactured according to good manufacturing practice standards and follow guidelines set by the World Health Organisation and local regulations.

During her visit to the company, Nandi-Ndaitwah said medicine shortages in public health facilities were giving her sleepless nights.

Health ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya yesterday clarified that the president’s visit did not influence the clearance, but it was a decision arrived at through engagement with the ministry and the relevant stakeholders.