Algeria: 357 pharmaceuticals and 11 medical devices prohibited from import

The Ministry of Health, Population and Hospital Reform announced a list of 357 drugs and 11 medical devices that will be banned from import as part of the government’s ongoing austerity-oriented drive to curtail the import bill of medicines that costs several billions of dollars each year to Algeria.

The relevant ministerial decree signed by Mr Abdelmalek Boudiaf, and published in the Official Gazette under number 62, is designed to prohibit the import from overseas of pharmaceuticals and medical devices for human medicine manufactured in Algeria itself.

The ministry will take all necessary measures for fulfilling the needs of the national market in pharmaceutical products included in the list of those products prohibited from being imported from abroad.

These 357 locally manufactured drugs are compounds of tablets, dermal creams and ointments, injectable solutions, suppositories, ophthalmic ointments and syrups.

In addition, 11 medical devices manufactured locally are also barred from import such syringes, gauze and gauze bandages and baking soda meant for dialysis.

Furthermore, the health minister said that the country’s bill for medicines has dropped by 40% since the beginning of the year, stressing this is the outcome of the efficient strategy mapped out to this effect by the Ministry.