THE Agriculture Ministry, the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department, and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority are all said to have embarked on an initiative to closely monitor importation and sale of veterinary drugs in Guyana. According to a release from the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department of the Ministry of Health, if drugs imported are not properly monitored, it could have a harmful effect on the health of the population at large, through the usage of animal products.
A release from the Analyst Food and Drug Department states: “In modern agriculture farming, veterinary drugs are commonly used in animals as therapeutic agents to increase food efficiency, prevent outbreaks of diseases, and support food security enhancement. In producing animals, the administration of these drugs, if not monitored effectively, could result in the presence of residues in foods such as meat, milk, eggs and other products derived from animals.”
The release explained that the usage of unauthorised drugs, or failure to follow the labelled directions of the approved drug, may result in unsafe residues in animals derived from food products, and this could endanger human health.
Further, the release stated that residues in foods derived from animals could also have international implications for trade. After careful consideration of the impact of the misuse of veterinary drugs, the two ministries have collaborated to implement a raft of control measures in this regard.
The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department is inviting importers to be so registered, and to apply for a marketing authorisation for each dosage of the veterinary drug administered.
Anyone who decides to pursue in this area must complete the prescribed application form and pay $5000 as an application fee.
The business of a veterinary drug importer should be under the direct control of a veterinarian, and must have registered premises with suitable working conditions for the holding and storing of drugs; a batch certificate of analysis must accompany each consignment; the veterinary drug must be registered with the department; records of receipts and issues must be maintained, including both numbers and expiry dates of drug; labels must comply with labelling requirements of the Food and Drug Regulation 1997.
This includes name of drug; name and address of manufacturer; batch number; expiry date; directions for the use; quantitative list of ingredients; cautionary statement; and storage requirements.
Also, the importer should request from the agent/wholesaler evidence of appointment/authorisation to market the company’s drug, if not in direct contact with the manufacturer; have prior approval of their import licences application from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority — Ministry of Agriculture, before submission to the department; and customs entry must be released by the department.
Application for an import permit and the abbreviated New Drug Submission Application can be uplifted from the Department – Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) Building, University of Guyana, Turkeyen campus. The department can also be contacted on telephone numbers #592-222-8857-8861.
