Parliament team wants more TMDA personnel at border posts
What you need to know:
- The committee had seen how the authority works hard to control the quality using modern technology, but more experts should be added in the border areas.
Arusha. A parliamentary committe has advised the government to dispatch more experts to the offices of the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) located at the border points in order to heighten the quality control of products such drugs and medical devices.
Social Services and Community Development Committee chairperson Stanslaus Nyongo said the team noted shortage of staff in TMDA after visiting its offices located in Arusha and Namanga border post.
He said that the committee had seen how the authority works hard to control the quality using modern technology, but more experts should be added in the border areas.
“We have visited and seen the works of TMDA and witnessed the procedure in place to control drugs and medical devices,” he said adding that the government should add staff.
Presenting before the committee, TMDA director general Adam Fimbo said the northern zone has only 26 workers, including seven who are dispatched Namanga (3), Kia (2), Holili (1) and Tarakea (1) border posts.
He asked the government to increase the staff so that they can meet the needs because some the workers have short-term contracts.
“There are still people who use unofficial borders to import substandard or fake products, thus endangering the health of consumers,” he said.
Regarding the performance of the authority at the Namanga border post, he said that from July 2021 to June 2022, some 626 shipments were inspected and allowed to be imported into Tanzania while 423 cargoes were inspected and allowed to be exported.
