By Kebba AF Touray
The Chairperson of the National Assembly Select Committee on Health, Hon. Amadou Camara, yesterday Thursday 26th June 2025, introduced the Bill entitled ‘Medicine and Related Product Bill 2025’.
The introduction of the Bill before Members marks the first stage of its reading in line with Standing Order 65 of the National Assembly of the Gambia, and its objective is to remedy an evident gap in the ‘Medicines and Related Products Act 2014’. The Bill seeks to remedy a gap in the issue of registration of medicine commodities as provided by the 2014 Act.
However, by the provisions contained in the Act and its regulations, the medicines approved for use and distribution are unfortunately those from Europe, America, the United Kingdom or other countries. But with stringent standards for the quality, safety and efficiency of medicine, this has not been registered within the Gambia Medicines and Related Products Act by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) guidelines. This is attributable to the fact that registration of medical and pharmaceutical products involves intricacies that prove to be exaggeratedly bureaucratic that stringent compliance may undermine quality control, and create room for sub-standard and contaminated products as well as a shortage of essential medical products in the country.
Stakeholders pass through challenging measures to register products from certain countries because manufacturers in those countries prioritize registration in high-population nations, to ensure early return on their investments. They also get immense profits by registering in countries that have large populations that consume these products which makes their turnover more profitable.
For instance, the United Kingdom harbors a population of over 67 million people, while regional counterparts like Nigeria, have over 223 million, Senegal – 17.5 million, Sierra Leone – 8.7 million, and Liberia – 5.4 million.
The Gambian population is slightly below 3 million, and it is clear on face value, the revenue for any manufacturer to export such products to a small economy such as the Gambia, is objectionable. Consequently, manufacturers are hesitant to submit themselves to the rigors of a tedious registration process.
This Bill now awaits a second reading stage at the National Assembly during which time lawmakers are expected to debate on it.
