Tanzania Pharmaceuticals Limited (TPI)

Serikali Yakili, TPI Ilitengeneza ARV Bandia

 Tue, Nov 06, 2012

LICHA ya wamiliki wa kiwanda cha Tanzania Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (TPI) kukana kutengeneza na kusambaza dawa bandia za kupunguza makali ya UKIMWI, serikali imethibitisha kuwa kiwanda hicho ndicho kilitengeneza dawa hizo aina ya TT-VIR 30 yenye toleo Na OC.01.85.

Kauli hiyo ilitolewa bungeni jana na Naibu Waziri wa Afya na Ustawi wa Jamii, Dk. Seif Rashid, akisema kuwa serikali itawachukuliwa hatua za kisheria wote waliohusika katika suala hilo.

Alisema kuwa katika kuhakikisha kuwa suala hilo hatari linapatiwa ufumbuzi wa kudumu na kuzuia lisitokee tena, kabla ya kuchukua hatua hizo za kisheria uchunguzi unafanywa kupitia vyombo vya usalama.

Dk. Rashid alikiri kuingia katika mzunguko kwa dawa hizo bandia lakini akawatoa hofu wagonjwa wote wanaotumia (ARV’s) kuwa dawa zinazopatikana kwenye vituo vya kutolea huduma hiyo kwa sasa ni salama na zenye viwango vinavyotakiwa.

“Tunatoa wito kwamba waendelee kutumia dawa hizo kama wanavyoshauriwa na madaktari… kupitia Wizara ya Afya, serikali imehakikisha uwepo wa dawa za kutosha na kupunguza makali ya ukimwi katika vituo vyote vya kutolea huduma za afya,” alisema.

Dk. Rashid alifafanua kuwa Wizara ya Afya hununua dawa hizo kupitia Bohari ya Dawa (MSD), ambayo imepewa jukumu la kununua, kuzitunza na kusambaza katika vituo vya kutolea huduma za afya.

Alisema kwa hapa nchini kuna kiwanda kimoja tu cha TPI kinachotengeneza dawa hizo na kwamba zile za bandia zilibainika mwanzoni mwa Agosti mwaka huu katika ukaguzi wa kawaida wa Mamlaka ya Chakula na Dawa (TFDA) katika Hospitali ya Tarime.

Alisema baada ya ukaguzi na uchunguzi kwenye vituo vyote vya huduma za afya katika mkoa wa Mara na nchi nzima ilibainika kuwa dawa yenye jina la biashara TT-VIR 30 toleo namba 0C.01.85 ni bandia.

Alisema pia ilibainika kuwa nyaraka zilizokutwa katika Bohari ya Dawa (MSD) zinaonyesha kuwa TPI iliiuzia MSD dawa hiyo bandia toleo namba 0C.01.85.

Naibu Waziri huyo aliongeza kuwa uchunguzi ulibaini kuwa dawa hiyo bandia ilikuwa na dawa zenye rangi tatu tofauti, njano, nyeupe na vidonge vya rangi mbili tofauti za pinki na nyeupe.

Kwa mujibu wa Naibu Waziri huyo wa Afya, dawa zilizokuwa na rangi ya njano, zilikuwa na kiambata cha Efaverenz badala ya viambata aina ya Nevirapine, Lamivudine na Stavudine vinavyopaswa kuwemo.

Aidha vidonge vyenye rangi nyeupe na vile vyenye rangi ya pinki na nyeupe vilikuwa na viambata vinavyotakiwa kuwepo yaani Nevirapine, Lamivudine na Stavudine kama ilivyokuwa kwenye lebo.

Akielezea kuhusu hatua zilizochukuliwa na serikali baada ya matokeo hayo ya uchunguzi alisema ni pamoja na kusimamisha mara moja matumizi ya dawa hizo aina ya TT-VIR 30 toleo Na 0C.01.85.

Hatua nyingine ni pamoja na kusitisha uzalishaji wa dawa zote katika kiwanda cha TPI Ltd hadi uchunguzi wa suala hilo utakapokamilika ikiwa ni pamoja na kujiridhisha tena ubora wa dawa inazozalisha.

Alisema pia vigogo wa MSD akiwamo mkurugenzi wake walisimamishwa na kwamba wizara imeunda timu ya wataalamu kwa lengo la kufuatilia mwendelezo wa tiba na matunzo kwa wagonjwa wa UKIMWI.

Source: Tz Daima

Published On: Wed, Oct 24th, 2012

On Fake ARVs: TPI Suspends Activities Following TFDA Order

By Fariji Msonsa The Citizen Reporter Dar es Salaam via The Citizen

The Tanzania Pharmaceutical Industries (TPI) Limited has told The Citizen that it suspended manufacturing and distribution of all of its pharmaceutical products following an order from the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA), but refuted claims that it was ordered to shut down its plant.

The firm had earlier denied reports that it had been ordered by the government to suspend production of its products to pave way for investigations over claims it was behind fake ARVs that were being distributed by the Medical Stores Department (MSD).

Speaking by phone, TPI chief executive officer Ramadhan Madabida said that so far his office had received two letters from TFDA and replied one of them yesterday in which the company explained why it should not be shut down.

He said he was sure that his firm was innocent and hoped that TFDA would soon allow the drugmaker to resume production as well as avoid being shut down. He also added that he looked forward to unveiling a new industrial wing which he said would start operations in March, next year.

“We got two letters from the TFDA, the first of which required us to suspend production of Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drugs. The second demanded that we suspend any kind of production and within 14 days give reasons as to why they should not shut down our company,” said Mr Madabida.

“We have responded to their letter and sent it to them today (yesterday). Currently the factory is not in operation but we are not worried because we are sure of our innocence. We also look forward to launching a new plant by the end of this year,” he added.

However, confusion has engulfed the scandal with authorities being cagey in explaining questions surrounding the scam. For his part, the acting permanent secretary in the ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Donan Mmbando, told The Citizen that TFDA was the right authority charged with ensuring that regulations were followed. He also elaborated that the Authority was mandated to write to TPI and if possible close down the company.

However, TFDA argued that the Health ministry was the responsible state department on the matter, adding that it (TFDA) had no authority of doing anything as the issue involved different institutions under the same docket. The Authority noted that since the ministry was above them all, the mandate to give directives rested with it. But the deputy minister for Health, Dr Seif Rashid, said his docket stepped in only when there were matters that required special handling. He said the Police Force was currently investigating the matter and once it completed its probe everything would be made public.

He added that the intention was to identify the true manufacturer of the fake drugs and the distributor of those made in India before embarking on legal actions. “It is still difficult to address the issue in public because it may interfere with investigations currently underway. Even the whereabouts of other suspects are unknown.

Source: wavuti.com

Published On: Tue, Oct 23rd, 2012

Who’s Lying In The Fake ARVs Scam? Madabida: Tunaendelea Kuzalisha ARV

Habari imeandikwa na Pamela Chilongola:

UONGOZI wa kiwanda cha kutengeneza dawa za kupunguza makali ya Ugonjwa wa UKIMWI (ARV) cha Tanzania Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (TPI), umesema hautasitisha uzalishaji wa dawa hizo kwa kuwa hauna barua inayowakataza kufanya hivyo kutoka mamlaka yoyote.

Kauli hiyo imekuja ikiwa ni siku 12 baada ya Serikali kupitia kwa Waziri wa Afya na Ustawi wa Jamii, Dk Hussein Mwinyi kutangaza kufungia uzalishaji wa dawa hizo katika kiwanda hicho.

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa TPI, Ramadhani Madabida alisema jana kwamba kiwanda hicho bado kinaendelea kuzalisha dawa hizo kwa kuwa hakuna barua kutoka Wizara ya Afya na Ustawi wa Jamii iliyowataka wasimamishe uzalishaji huo.

“Wenye mamlaka ya kukifungia kiwanda chochote cha dawa na kukithibitisha ni TFDA (Mamlaka ya Chakula na Dawa Tanzania), siyo Wizara ya afya,” alisema.

Alisema baada ya tukio hilo, TFDA iliwataka kwa barua, watoe maelezo ndani ya siku 14 kuhusu mzunguko wa dawa hizo na siyo kusitisha uzalishaji… “Sisi tuliletewa barua na TFDA ambayo ilitutaka tutoe maelezo ndani ya siku 14 kuhusu dawa feki za ARV zilizosambazwa na kudaiwa kuwa ni za kwetu na tuliwaeleza.”

Alisema walifanya hivyo kwa wakati na TFDA iliwahakikishia na kuwathibitishia kuwa hizo dawa hazikutengenezwa katika kiwanda hicho.

“Sisi hatuna uwezo wa uelewa wa utengenezaji wa dawa za ARV bandia zilizokutwa katika mzunguko, wenyewe wanajua zilipotengenezwa na si hapa, ni nje ya nchi na wanafahamu kinachoendelea,” alisema Madabida.

Alisema kiwanda hicho kinazalisha dawa hizo kama kawaida na hawana kitu cha kuwakwaza kutoendelea na uzalishaji.

Alisema wanatarajia kuongeza uzalishaji kwa asilimia 70 na Desemba mwaka huu wanatarajia kuzindua kiwanda kipya ambacho kitakuwa kikifanya kazi chini ya Shirika la Afya Duniani (WHO) na kitakapokamilika, kitakuwa na uwezo wa kuuza dawa hizo ndani na nje ya Tanzania.

Pia alisema wanachukua hatua zao na kuhakikisha umma  unaelezwa ukweli wa dawa za ARV bandia zilipopatikana.

Hata hivyo, kauli ya Madabida ilipingwa na Kaimu Mganga Mkuu wa Serikali, Dk Donald Mmbando aliyesema jana kuwa kiwanda hicho kilipelekewa barua ya kujieleza na kusitisha uzalishaji ndani ya siku 14.

“Tuliletewa nakala ya barua kutoka TFDA ambayo wamemwandikia mmiliki wa kiwanda cha TPI kuwa atoe maelezo ndani ya siku 14 na kusitisha uzalishaji wa dawa hizo… Mmiliki anavyodai hajapewa barua, si kweli,” alisema Dk Mmbando.

Hata hivyo, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa TFDA, Dk Hiiti Silo na Ofisa Uhusiano wa Mamlaka hiyo, Gaudensia Simwanza hawakupatikana jana kutoa ufafanuzi juu ya sakata hilo baada ya simu zao kutopatikana.

Soma zaidi: gazeti la Mwananchi

WHO IS LYING?

Article by Fariji Msonsa, The Citizen Reporter, Dar es Salaam.

Controversy still continues over the real manufacturers of the fake anti-retroviral tablets as the Tanzania Pharmaceutical Industries (TPI) Limited insists it is innocent and says it will not shut down its factory over the issue.

TPI chief executive officer Ramadhan Madabida told reporters yesterday that they had not received any formal communication from the government instructing them to suspend production of ARVs. Instead, he said, what they received was a letter from the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) demanding to know the involvement of TPI in the counterfeit ARVs issue.

“We clarified to them [TFDA] that we were not responsible because we lack the technology required to produce bi-layer ARV tablets,” said Mr Madabida.But authorities yesterday insisted that TPI had been issued a letter ordering it to close down its factory pending investigations on the matter.

The minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Hussein Mwinyi, told The Citizen yesterday in a telephone interview that according to the briefing he got from aides, TPI was given a letter ordering it to stop production, promising that he would follow up on the matter to find out the source of the confusion about what exactly TPI was told to do.

“The briefing I got from my assistants was that TPI was instructed to suspend production till the ongoing investigation on how fake the ARVs got into the distribution chain of the Medical Stores Department is concluded,” said Dr Mwinyi.

The acting permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr Donan Mmbando, when contacted by The Citizen also said the ministry ordered TPI, through TFDA to suspend its activities.   But Mr Madabida said they have been producing the drugs because after their reply to TFDA, there was no further communication between the two organisations.

Source: wavuti.com