Quality assurance: medicines sampled for quality testing 25.04.2019

Yangon Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pharmacist, Thinzar Win together with UNOPS-PR Quality Assurance Associate, Ei Thu Han, taking samples of pharmaceuticals procured with Global Fund support, which will be sent to accredited lab for quality testing, as part of the in-country quality monitoring system and Photo: UNOPS

Poor quality and substandard drugs can increase the risk of treatment failure and drug resistance in the fight against malaria, AIDS and TB. To assure the quality of medicine procured with Global Fund support, UNOPS-PR quality assurance (QA) team is working with the Myanmar Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in strengthening its public pharmaceutical supply chain systems. This includes sampling of drugs to know their quality. In 2018, UNOPS-PR QA team took 54 drug samples from 35 warehouses in collaboration with Myanmar FDA. 

Poor quality and substandard drugs can increase the risk of treatment failure and drug resistance in the fight against malaria, AIDS and TB. To make sure that each medicine that reaches patients is safe, effective and of standard quality, UNOPS-PR quality assurance (QA) team is providing support to the Myanmar Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen its public pharmaceutical supply systems.

This includes support to upgrade its National Reference Analytical Laboratory, to establish a vigilant drug quality monitoring system and for capacity building of national staff. Activities include training on a quality management system, calibration of laboratory equipment, preparation of a country-level drug sampling and quality testing plan, and collection of drug samples for quality testing. This will help to strengthen the overall  pharmaceutical quality assurance system in both the public and private sectors in Myanmar.      

UNOPS-PR is providing support to strengthen the capacity of the Myanmar Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s National Reference Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory, which includes support to establish a vigilant drug quality monitoring system, for calibration services for laboratory equipment, for provision of high-tech laboratory equipment and for capacity building of national staff. UNOPS-PR Quality Assurance Specialist Muhammad Masood at the Myanmar FDA Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory in Nay Pyi Taw.
UNOPS-PR is providing support to strengthen the capacity of the Myanmar Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s National Reference Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory, which includes support to establish a vigilant drug quality monitoring system, for calibration services for laboratory equipment, for provision of high-tech laboratory equipment and for capacity building of national staff. UNOPS-PR Quality Assurance Specialist Muhammad Masood at the Myanmar FDA Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory in Nay Pyi Taw. Photo: UNOPS

“In the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria, and in providing healthcare services to target populations, access to good quality medicines is key,” says Muhammad Masood, Quality Assurance Specialist, UNOPS-PR.

UNOPS-PR Quality Assurance Associate Ei Thu Han taking drug samples together with Yangon FDA team .Photo: UNOPS
UNOPS-PR Quality Assurance Associate Ei Thu Han taking drug samples together with Yangon FDA team. Photo: UNOPS

Quality assurance of drugs (including antimalarials, anti-TB drugs and antiretrovirals) supported by the Global Fund stems from comprehensive hands-on training that Myanmar FDA staff received from UNOPS-PR QA team. Training activities include on random sample collection for prioritized drugs sensitive to temperature and humidity, packing, labelling and sending of drug samples to an accredited lab for quality testing. This allows better detection of substandard and falsified medicines and, consequently, improved health outcomes for patients.

UNOPS-PR Quality Assurance Associate Ei Thu Han preparing drug samples to be sent for quality testing together with Yangon FDA team. Photo: UNOPS
UNOPS-PR Quality Assurance Associate Ei Thu Han preparing drug samples to be sent for quality testing together with Yangon FDA team. Photo: UNOPS

Through specialized and practical hands-on training — in areas such as quality management systems,  sampling and quality control procedures for Myanmar FDA to be able to identify and recall substandard products — Myanmar FDA laboratory has been able to test more medicines and enhance access to crucial drugs, including antimalarials, that actually work.

In collaboration with Myanmar FDA, UNOPS-PR QA team took 54 drug samples (including antimalarials, anti-TB drugs, and antiretrovirals) from 35 warehouses in 2018.