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 provides for the efficient and comprehensive regulation and control of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, herbal drugs and poisons and repeals the Food (Control of Quality) Act, 1978, the Pharmaceuticals and Poisons Act, 1978, and provides for related matters.

This Act consolidates the law relating to narcotic drugs, makes provision for the control and regulation of operations relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; provides for the forfeiture of property derived from or used in illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; provides for the prevention of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and implements the provisions of the International Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

This Act establishes the Medical Stores Department for the procurement, storage and distribution of medical supplies and provides for other matters connected or incidental to the establishment and management of the department.

This Act repeals the provisions of the Food and Drugs Ordinance which relates to food; repeals the Meat Hygiene Ordinance, and provides for the more efficient control of the food industry.