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Examples of subregional collaboration: the experience of Operation Mamba I & II in East African Community (EAC)

The case of TANZANIA

IMPACT Regional Conference, 9-10 Nov 2009Kempton Park, RSA

Director, Medicines and CosmeticsTanzania Food and Drugs Authority

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OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION

1. Background

2. Objectives

3. Findings– Operation Mamba I, 2008– Operation Mamba II, 2009

4. Lessons learned

5. Recommendations

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Background• September 2007

– Joint taskforce between the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) and the Tanzania Police• Joint operations to identify and confiscate counterfeit products

• July 2008– INTERPOL/IMPACT expressed interest to collaborate with Tanzania

& Uganda in combating counterfeit medicines– Tanzania Taskforce was expanded, headed by the TFDA and the

Police• Fair Competition Commission, Customs Department, President’s

Office, Bureau of Standards, Medical Stores Department • Two successful operations “Operation Mamba I & II” in 2008 &

2009– Jointly funded by INTERPOL, TFDA, Fair Competition Commission,

Medical Stores Department and the President’s Office

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Objective of the Operation

• To identify, confiscate, arrest suspects and take legal action– Targeted drugs

• Anti-malarials• Antibiotics• Lifestyle medical products e.g. viagra• Analgesics and related drugs e.g.

paracetamol– These drugs were selected because they are used

widely in the country (ies) and therefore attract counterfeiting

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Operation Mamba 2008: Findings (1)• 191 areas inspected

– 69 pharmacies, 5 warehouses, 103 drug stores, 14 other areas

• Categories of medicines confiscated– Suspect counterfeit medicines– Expired medicines– Government medicines– Unregistered

• Joint Press Conference– Director of Criminal Investigation of the Tanzania Police

and Director General of TFDA– The public was informed about the problem of counterfeit

medicines in the country and its dangers to public health

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Operation Mamba I 2008: Findings (3)

• 3 cases were confirmed to be counterfeit including anti-malarial Duo-cotexcin

• 44 cases reported to Police Stations– Prosecution:5– Conviction:1– Pending:10– Administrative Action taken: 28

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Operation Mamba II, 2009• March 2009, Dar es Salaam –Tanzania

– Training of drug inspectors, customs officers, prosecutors and police officers from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

• June 2009, Nairobi – Kenya– Planning meeting for Operation Mamba II

• August 2009, in all countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda)– Operation Mamba II conducted in Kenya, Tanzania and

Uganda– Simultaneous Press Release in all countries to inform the

public on the outcome of the operation• September 2009, Kampala - Uganda

– Post operation meeting to review outcome of the operation and plans for next steps

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Operation Mamba II 2009: Findings in Tanzania

• 70 trained drug inspectors & law enforcers deployed in 5 major cities

• 142 premises inspected• 315 different types of medicines (~$ 7,000) were confiscated

– 1 counterfeit Metakelfin (1 box) banned in March 2009– 6 suspected counterfeit products– 208 others not meeting legal requirements

• 238 types of cosmetics with prohibited ingredients (~ $ 11,000) confiscated

• 38 cases reported to Police – 2 prosecutions– 36 under investigation & administrative actions

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Lessons learned• It can be done using country resources• Strong national network of law enforcers to fight

counterfeit medicines established• TFDA, Police, Customs, others

• Public awareness on the dangers of counterfeit medicines raised

• Counterfeit medicines cross borders• Metakelfin in Tanzania and Uganda

• Challenge• Identifying source of counterfeit medicines

• Need to carry out one operation in the region annually

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Final Meeting: Kampala

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• WHO/IMPACT is requested to continue providing both technical and financial support to national authorities to conduct at least one operation annually

• Need to conduct operational research to determine extent of counterfeit problem in the region

– Recommended during IMPACT General Meeting in Lisbon, 2007

• Capacity building of national law enforcers and drug testing laboratories on identification of counterfeit medical products

Recommendations

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ASANTENI SANA

Obrigado

Merci

THANK YOU