“We have several types of medicines on the market and we must be very careful with their origin”, warned Vitorino Baptista, general director of the company Saúde Capital, in his speech recently in Luanda, at an event called Journey of the Patient
Vitorino Baptista stated, in the aforementioned activity that brought together several personalities who work in this segment, that the existence of some low quality medicines on the market is a national concern. This specialist, who has worked in this field for many years and also has a network of pharmacies, assured that one of the biggest concerns at the moment is the quality of medicines available on the markets.
In his point of view, this problem can be resolved with control and a thorough effort by the Regulatory Agency for Medicines and Health Technologies (ARMED). To this end, he states that this agency must continue to register medicines that enter the country with some urgency, which will allow the institution to be aware of who imported and the quality of the product. And, in this way, have essential products on the market that are not dangerous to patients’ health.
He also made it known that, in the case of some pharmacies, he has doubts regarding considering them as such, because of the rules imposed by ARMED for licensing in the exercise of this activity. “There are small houses on the market that look like small bars, but are called pharmacy. We know that this situation is worrying for everyone’s health,” he said. Regarding the increase in the price of some medicines, the source clarified that it arises as a result of the increase that has occurred in world markets, taking into account that it is a product that we depend exclusively on imports. “We are not a producing country.
We import everything that has to do with medicines and, in this way, it also increases the cost of living for the population itself”, he explained. In his point of view, some product prices are expensive because of their origin and import costs. The Director of Operations at TIS, Sandra Camelo, considers that the health industry has products with very high values, which is why care must be taken to reduce the cost of acquisition and export. “This market needs to be supplied and move normally towards the process of industrialization of materials and medicines.
There is awareness and there is walking. And I believe that it is evolving, it will get there, without a doubt”, he guaranteed. In turn, the head of ARMED Medicines Control, Cristina da Cunha, assured that the meeting with all health operators aimed to discuss ideas and share experiences to improve service in the health sector. It should be noted that ARMED is a heritage institute, with financial and administrative autonomy, which is responsible for regularizing and carrying out pharmaceutical activities throughout the country, giving priority to the humanization of services and training for users.
TIS Operations Director, Sandra Camelo, explained that when talking regarding technology they are not just limited to information technology, but to that which actually benefits the population. This is to the extent that the entire flow, from care, diagnosis and the various health procedures, so that the patient can feel satisfied, as it improves their care. To be more precise, she sought to demonstrate the relationship that exists between technology and humanization. “For many people, it seems that technology and humanization are contradictory aspects, but they are not. The two aspects go together”, she stressed. In this context, she described technology as a trinomial based on processes and people.
Humanization involves people, that is, it has to be defined according to the strategy. “And in the particular case of Angola, the health sector has been gradually evolving, while creating an integrated ecosystem that truly comes together in an inclusive way. It is a path that is being followed”, he explained. As an example, Sandra Camelo told the case of Brazil, in this sense, it has very complete legislation that covers the entire vertical health chain and even benefits the patient. She expressed that she believes this is the path that Angola should follow.
“But it is a path that will be achieved naturally because the players (actors) in the sector themselves will push to achieve this goal”, he predicted. The general director of the Digital Platform associated with the Health sector, Pedro Beirão, shared with those present the experience he acquired over the seven years he has worked in this segment, “helping” people find the medicines they are looking for in pharmacies. “In some cases, patients receive the products at home, which makes all the difference in their lives”, he highlighted.
