The Liberia Medicines & Health Products Regulatory Authority (LMHRA), through its Post-Market Surveillance (PMS) Unit, has ramped up inspection activities in Monrovia and neighboring counties.
The LMHRA is a body responsible for regulating health products in the country.
The team focused its efforts on pharmacies in Paynesville in Montserrado and various parts of Margibi County, aiming to identify and eliminate Substandard and Falsified (S/F) medicines threatening public health.
According to the LMHRA inspectorate team, the initiative is an ongoing effort by the government to curb the influx and distribution of unsafe medicines across Liberia, ensuring a more robust and efficient health sector.
Led by the PMS Manager, Martu K. Fayiah Nyanti, the ongoing inspection campaigns by the LMHRA involved thorough targeted raids on various outlets and street peddlers.
These operations, according to the entity, uncovered troubling evidence of illegal sales practices, which include the distribution of ‘substandard & falsified’ medicines that failed to meet safety and quality standards.
The inspection, which is an unannounced routine process of the LMHRA, is a robust regulatory oversight across the country, geared towards protecting the citizenry from the dangers associated with SF medicines.
As a result of these inspections, a significant quantity of SF medicines was confiscated, as the seized items will be incinerated at the LMHRA’s King’s Farm incineration site in Careysburg, outside Monrovia.
Beyond correctional action, the operation also served as an educational campaign, raising public awareness about the serious health risks posed by substandard and falsified medicines—risks such as treatment failure, drug resistance, and potential harm or death.
Meanwhile, the LMHRA said the successful operation by the inspectorate team underscores the importance of health regulators and community stakeholders to combat the proliferation of dangerous medicines.
The LMHRA remains committed to strengthening its regulatory framework and enforcement capacity to protect the health of all citizens and residents from substandard pharmaceutical products and ensure a safer environment nationwide.
