In response to the urgent challenge of falsified and substandard medicines in Cameroon—a problem highlighted in a published systematic review by the Director of Health Services and colleagues, Mr. Samuel Ngum, Director of CBC Health Services, and Pharmacist Ngah Edward, General Manager of the CBC Central Pharmacy, conducted a one-week prequalification visit to pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers in India. This visit aligns with the systematic review’s findings, which revealed that:

“There is a stark contrast in the prevalence of substandard and falsified (SF) medicines between informal sources (e.g., street vendors, unauthorized markets) and regulated sources (e.g., licensed pharmacies, hospitals) across countries. Across the 17 studies, the median prevalence of SF medicines is 26.9%, ranging from 0.5% to 74.2%. The prevalence of SF medicines is significantly higher in informal markets (up to 74.2%) than in regulated pharmaceutical outlets (as low as 0.5%). Tablet and capsule formulations are the most frequently analyzed dosage forms, particularly for antimalarials, antibiotics, and maternal health medicines, but they exhibit high failure rates in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) content and dissolution tests. There is an urgent need for harmonized pharmacovigilance systems, stricter regulatory enforcement, and enhanced access to advanced screening to combat the circulation of substandard and falsified medicines.”  

This mission also directly addresses critical gaps identified in the recent evaluation of the CBC Central Pharmacy:

• Inconsistent supplier vetting and quality assurance increase the risk of substandard medicines.
• Warehousing overcrowding
• Insufficient inventory management and traceability for expired products, resulting in gaps in tracking and disposal. 

During the week-long mission, the team:

• Inspected the MAXTAR Bio-genics manufacturing plant at K. No. 705, Nalagarh Road, Malku Majra, Tehsil Nalagarh, Baddi, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173205, India. 
• Visited VITAEGISS Wellness Private Limited at 510, 31 FIVE, B/H Divyabhaskar House, Nr. Vodafone, Corporate Road, Makarba, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380015, India. 
• Evaluated ARMEIN Pharmaceuticals Private Limited at Survey No. 494-495, Dharmaj-Khambhat Road, Village Bamanva, Dist. Anand, Gujarat 388580, India. 
• Engaged with PATWA Pharmaceuticals Private Limited at 6th Floor, 610 Aaaryan Workspace 2, Opp. Vasundhara Society, Nr. Navkar Public School, Gulbai Tekra, Nr. Puneshwar Flat, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380006, India. 

This initiative demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that only high-quality, safe medicines reach our communities. By acting on the evidence and recommendations from the published systematic review and last year’s evaluation of the Central Pharmacy, we are taking concrete steps to strengthen medicine quality assurance, mitigate supply chain disruptions, and protect public health in Cameroon. The visit also explored innovations in large-volume infusion and tableting and identified possible future initiatives to further enhance our pharmaceutical services.