Substandard and falsified medical product recalls in Zambia from 2018 to 2021 and implications on the quality surveillance systems

Background

Substandard and falsified (SF) medical products are removed from circulation through a process called 'product recall' by medicines regulatory agencies. In Zambia, the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) is responsible for recalling SF medical products from the Zambian market through passive and active surveillance methods. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of recalls of SF medical products and to analyse the frequently recalled therapeutic categories, dosage forms, categories of defects that led to the recalls and their sources with respect to the country of the marketing authorisation holder (MAH) or manufacturer.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional review of the product recalls issued by ZAMRA between January 2018 and December 2021. A search for all medical product alerts and recalls issued by ZAMRA was carried out by reviewing the internal post-marketing surveillance database kept at ZAMRA headquarters. Data were extracted using a structured Excel database and analysed using Microsoft Excel.

Results

A total of 119 alerts were received during the review period, of which 83 (69.7%) were product recalls. Oral solid dosage forms were the most recalled dosage form (53%). Furthermore, the number of recalls increased in 2020 (44.6%) and 2021 (22.9%), with the majority (20.5%) of the recalled products being substandard products classified as antiseptics and disinfectants and were attributed to the high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Manufacturing laboratory control issues were the reason for product recall in almost half (47.4%) of the cases. Most of the products recalled originated from India (38.6%), followed by Zambia (25.3%). Only one suspected falsified product was recalled between 2018 and 2021. A total of 66 recalls of the 83 products were initiated by ZAMRA, with only 17 voluntarily by foreign MAHs. No product recall was initiated by the local representatives of foreign manufacturers or MAH.

Conclusion

The majority of the pharmaceutical product recalls in Zambia were substandard products. Manufacturing laboratory control issues lead to most recalls and require investigation of the root causes, preventive action, and strict compliance with the good manufacturing practices guidelines by manufacturers.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices on antimicrobial resistance among pharmacy personnel and nurses at a tertiary hospital in Ndola, Zambia: implications for antimicrobial stewardship programmes

Introduction

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health problem that has led to increased morbidity and mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Zambia. This study evaluated AMR knowledge, attitudes and practices among pharmacy personnel and nurses at Ndola Teaching Hospital, Zambia's second-largest hospital.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 263 participants using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was performed with IBM SPSS version 23.0. All statistical tests were conducted at a 95% confidence level. Univariate analysis was used to determine differences in knowledge, attitudes and practices on AMR between pharmacy personnel and nurses.

Results

Of the 263 participants, 225 (85.6%) were nurses and 38 (14.4%) were pharmacy personnel. Compared with nurses, pharmacy personnel had better knowledge of the spread of resistant bacteria from one person to another (P = 0.001) and the use of antibiotics in livestock as a contributing factor to AMR (P = 0.01). Pharmacy personnel had better attitudes towards AMR as a public health problem (P = 0.001) and the use of antibiotics in livestock as a source of resistant pathogens (P = 001). Lastly, more pharmacy personnel than nurses participated in awareness campaigns (P = 0.029), continued professional development (P = 0.001) and courses on the use of antibiotics and AMR (P = 0.028).

Conclusions

The study showed that most participants had adequate knowledge, a positive attitude and good practices towards AMR. Significant differences in knowledge, attitudes and practices were observed between pharmacy personnel and nurses in AMR, highlighting a need for increased educational programmes for these healthcare personnel.