The pharmaceutical sector has come under parliamentary scrutiny, with growing concerns over the safety of medicines in Namibia and the regulation of local manufacturers. 

This follows the recent highlighting of medicinal manufacturer Fabupharm's unlicensed status and allegations of illegally importing quinine sulphate tablets into Namibia. 

These matters have raised questions about the safety, efficiency, and quality of Namibia's healthcare system. 

Local expert in retail pharmacy Eric Kambonde believes Namibia's pharmaceutical regulations are firm, though he points to delays in licensing and enforcement as challenges that require attention. 

Speaking on the NBC's 'Inside the Chambers' programme, Kambonde said the Namibian workforce requires a boost in capacity as well as training, particularly within the health ministry, within the regulators and with pharmacists.

"The most recent encounter we had was with Covid, for instance, which exposed our stance as far as the global demand and the regulatory framework are concerned, so we had to rely heavily on international bodies. But academically and professionally, they are well equipped, but in terms of regulatory oversight, there is still professional development that needs to be done, and of course, there are issues such as the global demand for our biological medications and your artificial intelligence coming in and just dealing with the general counterfeits at a global scale."

Kambonde believes industry bodies should play a stronger role in internal compliance and self-regulation within pharmaceutical companies. 

"Companies need to be held accountable for all the internal processes inside their companies. If you compromise on the enforcement of proper regulations, you'll end up with substandard products that'll be harmful to clients; you'll again have to deal with issues such as smuggling of counterfeits into the country, issues of antimicrobial resistance, issues of the emergence of new diseases, which will be another battle, and, of course, will increase government expenditure on these."

He suggested systemic reforms in the pharmaceutical sector in order to build long-term trust, including improved tracking systems for licensing and drug safety.

Kambonde said illegal cross-border pharmaceutical trade is not simply a health risk. 

Rather, it represents a national security issue that Namibia should sufficiently invest in to ensure the protection of its borders, its regulatory bodies, and its border officers.