Gambia to run strict quality check on Indian drugs before shipment

This comes nearly a year after 70 children died in the Gambia allegedly after consuming contaminated syrups manufactured by Haryana-based Maiden pharmaceuticals.

“All shipments arriving in The Gambia with bill of landing dated on or after 1st July 2023 will be required to provide the CRIA for customs clearance at the ports of entry,” said a guidance document by the Gambian drug regulator.

The guidelines state that companies would have to register as exporters to the Gambia by filling out company details, providing copy of manufacturing licence, copy of WHO GMP certificate, information of the Gambian importer, getting its manufacturing and warehouse sites inspected, and paying a one-time non-refundable fee of Rs 20,000.

Thereafter, the companies will have to raise inspection requests for every consignment. The product documents will be checked, a physical examination will be carried out to check for product label compliance and shelf life, and a sample for analysis will be collected. This inspection will be carried out once the products are loaded onto the shipping containers. The inspection cost will also be borne by the exporter. “If the exporter is not satisfied with the results… the exporter shall have an option to request for repeat analysis,” the guidelines say.