Cabinet Approves New Authority to Regulate Agrochemicals & Veterinary Medicines

Cabinet has approved a new authority/ agency, to regulate agrochemicals, food, veterinary medicines, devices and cosmetics, among others.

Speaking at the Uganda Media Center, the Minister for ICT & National Guidance, Chris Baryomunsi, said cabinet approved the principles for the amendment of the National Drug Policy and Authority Act. 

“A new Authority to be established under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, (The Food, Animal and Plant Health Authority), will regulate food, veterinary medicines including veterinary vaccines, veterinary devices, veterinary cosmetics, agrochemicals and all other therapeutic products for plant and animal health,” he noted. 

He added that it was agreed that the National Drug Authority will regulate human medicines, vaccines, medical devices, invitro diagnostics, public health products and nutritional supplements.

He further explained that UNBS will regulate all other products except those regulated by NDA and the proposed Food, Animal and Plant Health Agency and any other specialized agency as established by law. 

Cabinet also decided UNBS to remain a custodian of standards in accordance with the law.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze noted that there was need for a one agency to deal with all safety aspects of food, animal feed & all animal/ plant drug inputs. 

He noted that for policy coordination and effective implementation, it was found to be good practice to separate veterinary inputs from human  drug inputs & thus place their regulation under MAAIF while leaving the former (NDA), with under the Ministry of Health.

“So instead of having multiple regulatory agencies for various food safety  & drug inputs ( animal & plant drugs )regulation, cabinet was convinced to have one universal agency for food, animal and plant health/safety regulation as is the practice in many other jurisdictions,” Tumwebaze said.