Drug dealers mull freeze on imports

Local importers of human drugs will hold a meeting that will dwell on temporary suspension on importation of human drugs.

By Peter Tindwa

Local importers of human drugs will hold a meeting that will dwell on temporary suspension on importation of human drugs.

The Chairman of Tanzania Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (TAPI), Harish Dhutia, told The Guardian in Dar es Salaam over the weekend that the proposal follows a recent move by the Ministry of Finance to impose a 10 per cent duty on human medicines.

If the suspension materializes, the country may automatically face a 70 percent deficit of medicine. Local manufacturers apparently produce only 30 percent of basic human medicines.

These include tablets like Asprin, Panadol, Paracetamol, B-Complex, Dakika Tatu, Hedex and other drugs in syrup form.

The TAPI chairman said the meeting would be held in Dar es Salaam sometime this week.

The association has already sent a letter reflecting their opposition to the excise duty to Minister of Finance Zakia Meghji.

The ministry of Finance had until last week not responded to the letter.

Earlier reports had indicated that the government would state its position next week.

Efforts to get comments from Minister Meghji proved futile as telephone calls went unanswered.

With the exception of Kenya and Uganda, which apply zero-tariffs on imported human drugs, Tanzania is the only country in East Africa which has imposed duty on imported medicine.

Source: Guardian