Interview with General Director of the Department of Drug Supply and Medical Equipment of the Ministry of Public Health, Kyrgyz Republic, doctor of medical sciences, professor Rustam Kurmanov.
-Rustam Abdykayypovich, how do you assess the current state of affairs in the pharmaceutical industry in Kyrgyzstan?
-I think as dynamically developing. We can say saturated domestic market of Kyrgyzstan with accessible and high-quality goods and medicines. Since the beginning of this year in Kyrgyzstan are registered and authorized for use in medical practice 6817 pharmaceutical products: drugs – 4474, medical products -2343.
It was released by domestic producers for the first 9 months of last year of pharmaceutical products for 73 million soms, including medical equipment in the amount of 14 million soms, medicinal products at 155 million soms. In our state built three pharmaceutical factory, one factory for the production of syringes in Osh already released products.
These figures are given by me in response to criticism from some opponents, when they say that everything is bad in our industry.
Of course, the drug provision of the country is mainly got through imports (which consisted 97 percent of the total pharmaceutical market), however, domestic production is also growing rapidly.
Over the past year in the Kyrgyz Republic have been imported wholesale suppliers of pharmaceutical products by 12.7 billion soms, before last year - by 11.4 billion soms..
- Why, in that case, it sounds the serious criticism of the organization?
- I think a criticism is quite permissible thing. Eventually, we live in a democratic country and proud with them. But I would like that critics and journalists have to handle the facts, the firm evidence before opposing to us.
We are constantly working to improve our organization since beginning. sometimes going through very difficult obstacles.
I participated in the process of revival of the Kyrgyz pharmacy, after the collapse of the Union and our republic gained independence, when the old system of drug distribution has ceased to exist.
In general, it should be noted particularly that during the Soviet era regulatory system of pharmaceutical products exist only in Moscow, but such quality control and inspection services was not created on sate’s level.
So we all had to revive and start their own, a lot of work to be done at the governmental level, when our structure defined legally, when we solved financial issues, accommodations, fight for the preservation of human resources and accumulated experience.
We went through it all, to create a stable working structure. And just imagine how it is unfair when some of my detractors accuse me that I was not working properly, not interested in the reform of pharmaceuticals, even calling me as unprofessional one.
Of course, for the leader in a democratic country where freedom of speech prevails, always will be difficult, but if we talking about honest society, the head also must be protected from indiscriminate overtones.
-You mean that the public and authorities should show respect to the heads of the organizations?
- I mean we need to do everything within the law. Without it work will be simply impossible. When one criticized another pouring down to him all sorts of unverified information, pressed him and exaggerated social activity in order to discredit the leadership, turning blind eyes to his achievements at all - that's the worst thing. From such critics even the best leader goes down.
-You said that Kyrgyz Pharmacy actually revived after Kyrgyzstan gained independence. What was the most difficult for you in this matter, as a person and a leader?
-The most difficult, is the negative attitude of responsible persons in this process. After all, we have created a government agency, but in many instances we were treated as if we were doing everything for themselves. I believe that in our society we should all show more respect and interest in each other's success, especially when it comes to such serious matter as pharmaceuticals, healthcare.
We have achieved a lot over the years, strengthening and expanding our organization, consistently and persistently pursuing the improvement of department structure, improve the quality of work, ensuring the development and adoption of laws that would contribute to the progressive reforms in this sector.
- Tell us a little more about this part of the state and legal reforms in your industry? What laws and regulations have been adopted in recent years, and what was their main objective?
- This is the most important question for the leader, who heads a large and complex industry, such as, for example, pharmaceuticals.
So I think it is very important for our brunch to development and approval by Kyrgyz government the national programs for 2014-2020, which actually determined the state policy of the country.
Changes to the Code of the Kyrgyz law on administrative responsibility, which allowed to increase the amount of fines imposed on legal entities and individuals in case of violations. A draft of the law which is already introduced in the Parliament, provides for criminal liability for the manufacture, production, acquisition, storage, transportation for the purpose of sale or sale of substandard or counterfeit medicines.
Pharmaceutical Inspectorate carried out during the reporting period, 86 scheduled and 28 unscheduled inspections of business entities engaged in the pharmaceutical business. On the basis of the Code of the KR "On administrative responsibility" imposed 19 fines in the amount of 67,000 soms. Southern branch of the Department of 65 scheduled and 2 unscheduled checks conducted during the reporting period. Impose an administrative fine in the amount of 31 thousand soms.
Thanks to the efforts of the Department is prohibited implementation of PM in the markets and in public areas of Osh and Bishkek without a license. Together with law enforcement authorities, customs authorities, financial police Pharmaceutical Inspection Department conducted raids on markets. 35 raids to curb the illicit drug realization of facts in the Osh market and the market "Bereket" was conducted only for Lenin district of Bishkek. Confiscated 74 items of drugs and medical devices.
Substantially improved the drug certification. Within the framework of the system of state control quality of drugs and medical devices, the certification body of the Department and its branch office in Osh, accredited in accordance with the CCM GOST ISO / IEC 17025: 2009 "General requirements for certification bodies products". In 2015, the Authority held supervisory control Accreditation Center of the Ministry of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic in compliance with ISO / IEC Guide 65: 2002. For 2015 certification authority issued certificates of conformity for 25056 names of pharmaceutical products.
We have two test control and analytical laboratories in the cities of Bishkek and Osh, which have passed the relevant accreditation and meet all quality standards. In recent years, there is laboratory tested 4,950 kinds of medicines have been carried out.
In general, it is the most important aspect of our work- quality control and certification of medicines, both entering the country, and produced in our country.
And I want to emphasize that we are in this respect has always sought to be proactive, committed to the highest quality standards, in spite of the enormous difficulties and obstacles.
- Why is this so important - to meet international quality standards?
- This industry is developing dynamically, and to carry out quality control, you must comply with the technological level of producers, in time to find out and ban fake, counterfeit products, and so on.
Ten years ago, the WHO experts recommended us to build new laboratory because the old one does not meet modern standards, we immediately set about designing and building a new laboratory.
But it was so difficult and troublesome matter, since the beginning to the end we are going through maintain problems and barriers as if we made a house for themselves, rather than the state erected object of strategic importance for national health.
Thank God we were able to withstand to all that problems and eventually end up this building and now Kyrgyz Pharmacy has a modern laboratory.
I want to empathize here that in last 10 years some other ministries also many told about planning, designing and starting of modern laboratories but they could not realize this projects yet. We do not criticize them, we just know how hard to do that, going through every step - find place and fitted land, took permission, planning , designing, building to the end, to deliver advanced equipment, train staff. Each of these steps requires a huge effort.
-Rustam Abdykayypovich, Kyrgyzstan's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) also leads to increased requirements and demands and quality. What is the situation in this regard?
- According to the prescribed basis of the EEU in the framework of the Union created the unified pharmaceutical market. And now Department is working for the adaptation of the certification and our laboratory for the standarts of the EEU.
Russian side agree to invest 2.5 million US dollars in our laboratories in Bishkek and Osh. Part of it money used to bay the equipment for laboratories (1.2 million) and 0.5 million - for training programs
Today we also actively negotiating with the Kazakh on the matter of opening the toxicological laboratory with a vivarium. Kazakh experts looked at and approved our project. We have expected that Kazakhstan will help us and invested $2.7 million.
In 2014, our Department created the vigilance sector. During 2015 it received 54 yellow cards LPO from physicians about adverse reactions to drugs. (9 cards sent to an international program to monitor adverse effects of drugs in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. 184 received a report on the safety of drugs from the manufacturers.
In order to inform physicians and the public on the information site posted a summary of the identified adverse reactions to drugs. In hospitals KR 80,000 common yellow cards, available in almost every doctor.