Palestine Establish Drug and Food Authority with Indonesian Support

Ramallah, MINA -The Palestinian Health Minister Mai Alkaila said her country was trying to establish an authority to regulate the production and distribution of food and medicines. It will be done with support from Indonesia.

It was conveyed by Alkaila while attending a virtual workshop on capacity building for Ministry of Health staff in the field of drug and food control organized by the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration (BPOM RI) on Monday, as it was quoted from Wafa.

The activity with the theme “Indonesian FDA’s Support for the Establishment of an Independent Palestinian Food and Drug Authority” will be held for three days (23-25 ​​November 2020) and opened by the Head of BPOM and attended by 20 trainees from the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Alkaila said the workshop was the first step to establish a Palestinian food and medicine authority with the support of Indonesia, which according to he was important in building state institutions.

Meanwhile, the Head of BPOM RI, Penny K. Lukito emphasized commitment to helping increase the capacity of the Palestinian regulator function through the South-South Cooperation (KSS) program.

According to her, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is felt by all levels of society in various parts of the world, including the Palestinian people.

What’s more, the Palestinian people have limited access to drugs, vaccines and food that are badly needed.

“The current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic is the background for our steadfast support in providing technical assistance to the Palestinian Regulatory Authority to improve the Food and Drug control system in Palestine,” said Penny K. Lukito in his remarks at the event.

“This support is also our effort in implementing the Action Plan resulting from the meeting of the OIC Member States Drug Regulatory Authority in 2018 in Jakarta. That is to encourage the creation of independent National Medicine Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs) by providing assistance to improve the regulatory system and increase the effectiveness of regulatory functions, ” she continued.

Through this virtual workshop, the Head of BPOM hopes that the Palestinian regulator participants will gain knowledge so that they can contribute to the goal of establishing an Independent Palestinian Food and Drug Regulatory Authority.

“This is a tough task, if done separately and without collaborative effort. For that, we once again emphasize that the POM Agency continues to support Palestine, including helping to establish an independent Palestinian Food and Drug Administration. ” she said. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)