Govt Announces Prohibition of Advertisement of Traditional Medicine Practices

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has issued A Press release informing the general public that there is a prohibition of unwarranted publicity given to traditional medicinal practices on the media especially on radio stations and newspapers. This practice violates the Medicines Act 2009 of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Traditional Medicines Regulations 2014 which prohibits advertisement on any form of medicine and medicinal products in the Gambia. Below is the full text of the release. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare wishes to inform the general public that there is a prohibition of unwarranted publicity given to traditional medicinal practices on the media especially on radio stations and newspapers. This practice violates the Medicines Act 2009 of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Traditional Medicines Regulations 2014 which prohibits advertisement on any form of medicine and medicinal products in the Gambia. In consonance with the Medicines Act 2009 and Traditional Medicines Regulations 2014, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is hereby warning all media houses in general to desist from this malicious act of conducting radio or newspaper announcements or facilitating publicity by any other means of traditional medicinal products with immediate effect. Failure to abide by this order could result to severe penalties for accomplices, the traditional healer and the media house. In the same vein, the general public is hereby informed that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through its Traditional Medicine Unit located at the old NTC Complex in Banjul is now registering all Traditional Medicine Practitioners, Traditional Medicinal Products, the Importation of Medicinal Products and Licensure of Premises being utilized for Traditional Medicinal practices. Any person who intends to prepare, manufacture, import, sell or distribute a traditional medicinal product shall apply to the Medicines Board for registration of the product. Application for the licensing of premises shall also be made to the Medicines Board. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare seeks compliance of the general public to this order. Omar Sey, Minister of Health and Social Welfare  ]]>