Health Legislation

The Namibia Essential Medicines List acts as a guide for the level of availability and use of essential medicines based on the skills levels of health workers as well as the availability of diagnostic facilities at the various levels of the Namibian public sector healthcare system.

This Act amends the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, 2003, so as to amend and delete certain definitions; provides for a period within which the Council must be appointed; provides for the appointment of chairpersons of committees established by the Council; amends provisions relating to the classification of medicines and other substances as scheduled substances; amends provisions relating to the manufacturing, packing and selling of specified Schedule 3 and specified Schedule 4 substances; deletes references to generic substitutions; substitutes references to Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule 3 or Schedule 4 medicines by references to Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule 3 or Schedule 4 substances; inserts provisions relating to the registration of premises engaged in the manufacturing of medicines; amends provisions relating to offences and penalties; amends provisions relating to the destruction of forfeited medicines, scheduled substances or other things; provides for the making of regulations in relation to medicines; amends provisions relating to the exclusion of medicines from the operation of the Act; amends the transitional provisions; amends provisions relating to the repeal and amendment of certain laws; and provides for matters incidental thereto.

This Act provides for the establishment of a Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council; for the registration of medicines intended for human and for animal use; for the control of medicines and scheduled substances and provides for incidental matters.

This Act extends membership of the medical aid scheme established for the public service under the Public Service Act, 1980, to members and former members of the National Assembly, judges and former judges of the Supreme Court and High Court, certain other office-bearers and other persons and to their surviving spouses; repeals section 1 of the Medical Aid Scheme for the Government Service Extension Act, 1982; and provides for matters connected therewith.