Afghanistan’s Food and Drug Committee Focuses on Preventing Substandard Medicines

The Food and Drug Committee meeting, chaired by Abdulsalam Hanafi, Deputy Administrative Head of the Taliban’s Office of the Prime Minister, was held with a focus on preventing the import and distribution of substandard medicines and expired food products.

According to the newsletter from the office, committee members presented reports on their activities and assigned responsibilities. The discussion also covered the inclusion of essential medicines in the approved list and strategies to prevent the entry of poor-quality drugs into the country.

The meeting also addressed the standardization of the national drug regulatory system, a move which, if effectively implemented, could improve the quality of health services provided in hospitals and pharmacies.

At the conclusion of the session, monitoring teams were tasked with preventing the sale and distribution of low-quality and expired food products and medicines in the markets. Citizens continue to demand transparent and ongoing oversight in this sector, especially as reports of substandard medicines circulating in some areas have raised public concerns in recent years.