#DAR ES SALAAM

Local manufacturers of health products have been assured of a domestic and foreign market for their products, while they are being urged to consider the volume of demand and quality of the products.

Speaking at the opening of a meeting of local manufacturers of health products organized by the Medical Supply Department (MSD), the Chief Pharmacist of the Government, Daudi Msasi, said that the government is committed to empowering local manufacturers, especially in matters of laws and regulations related to the health product industry.

For his part, the Acting Director General of the Medical Supply Department (MSD), Leopord Shayo, explained that currently MSD imports more than 80 percent of health products from abroad, a situation that contributes to spending a lot of foreign currency.

He added that the country will be able to cope with disasters when they occur, be sure of the quality of health products and be sure of the availability of health products on time.

In addition to the manufacturers, the meeting involved other stakeholders working closely with MSD, including the Ministry of Health, Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TMDA), PPRA, the President's Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (RALG) and the Office of the Registrar of Treasury.

The aim of the meeting was for the stakeholders to sit together and look at ways to improve the availability of health products from local manufacturers.

In addition, the meeting also aimed to assess the needs of health products in the country, along with their quality.