Calling on medicine-supplying companies to pay attention to Libyan standard specifications, the Media Spokesperson for Libya’s Food and Drug Control Centre (FDCC), Mohamed Al-Zayat, told Libya Herald, that the FDCC, accompanied by the Libyan Customs Authority, the Ministry of Health and Environmental Sanitation, and the Deterrence Agency for Combating Terrorism and Organized Crime, safely destroyed a quantity of medicines and medical equipment.
He said the environmentally friendly destruction was conducted to prevent the products from being traded in the Libyan market as the offending items were rejected by the FDCC after the result of laboratory analyses showed that they did not conform to the required specifications.
Intensifies FDCC inspections
Al-Zayat said that the FDCC has recently intensified inspections of all food commodities and medicines imported from abroad and implementing the health requirements in accordance with Libyan standards. These come after conducting the necessary laboratory analyses in laboratories furnished with the latest equipment, engineers and technicians qualified to carry out such highly sensitive tasks.
Seized quantities from several countries have been destroyed previously
Adding that it is not the first time that drugs that do not conform to Libyan standard specifications, or even spoiled drugs that are not suitable for use, have been seized in large quantities. These are supplied by several countries and companies, most of which are not known internationally, and the seized quantities are destroyed in cooperation with environmental sanitation and the competent agencies.
Call on suppliers and inspection companies to respect Libyan standards
Mindful of Libya Herald’s international readership, Al-Zayat asked that drug-supplying companies pay attention by reviewing Libyan standard specifications that are available at the FDCC before completing drug purchases. He stressed that local inspection companies should check shipments of medicines supplied to Libya at the port of shipment and refuse to approve them if they are in violation of Libyan specifications. This is to prevent harm to the Libyan economy as these shipments of medicines and medical equipment are being supplied in the hundreds of millions through letters of credit.
Libyan-Tunisian agreement allowing Tunisian doctors to practice in Libya (libyaherald.com)
