The Executive Council of Ghana Chamber of Pharmacy (GCP) on Friday commended government and Ministry of Health for rolling out mechanism for the establishment of a Bioequivalence Centre.

The Government on Wednesday set-up two expert committees to have an oversight responsibility and ensure the establishment of Bioequivalence Centre and Diet and Unhealthy lifestyles.

A GCP statement issued in Accra by Mr Godfred Adjei, Chief Executive Officer, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the committee on diet is to work within a six-month timeframe whilst the bioequivalence has eight weeks to submit its report to the Minister of Health.

Whilst the bioequivalence centre would support the local pharmaceutical manufacturers to attain WHO prequalification, the diet committee would deliberate and make recommendations to reduce the risk of oils, sugars and salts as disease causing agents and minimise non- communicable diseases.

The statement said the establishment of a bioequivalence centre would support the local pharmaceutical manufacturers to attain the World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification.

“The WHO prequalification ensures that medicines supplied by procurement agencies meet an acceptable standard of quality, safety and efficacy,” it said.

The statement said the list of prequalified medicinal products used for HIV and AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and for reproductive health produced by the programme are used principally by UN agencies including UNAIDS and UNICEF to guide their procurement decisions as demonstrated by the Global Fund.

The statement hailed Mr Ohemeng Kyei, President of the Pharmaceutical Society as the Chairman of the committee.

The statement called on the government to support the local manufacturers through the public private partnership programme to help produce quality and affordable anti-malaria and other essential drugs for Ghanaians.

The diet committee is headed by Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, former Director-General of Ghana Health Service.