The Afghanistan Food and Drug Authority (AFDA) said that they are updating the list of authorized imported drugs, and they also mentioned their concern over a lack of pharmacists in some areas of the country. 

In the new list, not only the name of the manufacturer of medicines but details of all drugs and products coming to Afghanistan will be registered. 

Speaking in an interview with TOLOnews, the head of the AFDA said that they will include 20,000 various drugs to the new list in the next solar year.

“Based on the new list, the drugs from foreign manufacturers will be registered in Afghanistan. In the past, only the names of manufacturers used to be registered and importers would import every single product of that manufacturing company. It will not be the same,” said Abdul Bari Omar, head of the Afghanistan Food and Drug Authority.

According to Omar, medicine for the treatment of cancer and diabetes will be exempt from the new rules but added that these drugs should be imported from reliable international manufacturers.
The head of the AFDA also expressed concern about the lack of professional pharmacists in some provinces of the country.

“Yes, we do face a lack of pharmacists. For example, in Musa Kala district of Helmand province, we only have 10 pharmacists while we may have 50 to 100 pharmacies in the district,” said Abdul Bari Omar.

Concerning the local manufacturing companies of Afghanistan, Abdul Bari Omar said a new administration will be established for the companies which will help the development of the manufacturers.
According to Omar, Afghanistan has a drug market worth $1 billion, eighty percent of which is from imports.