action medeor – das Medikamentenhilfswerk

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• Pharmaceutical expertise /
• Strengthening local structures

Improving training opportunities for pharmacists in Tanzania

The aim of this project was to facilitate the development of drugs such as tablets, capsules and dry suspensions locally in Tanzania and thus also increase the availability of medicines. Especially medicines for HIV/AIDS and malaria are now being developed there.

The university research and development laboratory (Pharm R & D Lab) not only enables in-house projects, but also supports regional pharmaceutical manufacturers in the production of generics. Furthermore the laboratory provides pharmacy students with a practical university education. The laboratory area dedicated to "Pharmaceutical Technology" has been equipped with cleanroom walls in compliance with pharmaceutical industry standards, two tablet presses, a fluidized bed apparatus for granulating and a tablet coater. Especially HIV / AIDS drugs, including ARV combination tablets and syrups for children have since been developed in the laboratory.

Since the inauguration of the Pharm R&D Lab in 2008 50 pharmacy students and 25 pharmaceutical technicians are trained in the laboratory every year.  Additionally a two-year training series for pharmaceutical staff which dealt with specific aspects of the development, production and quality control of drugs was carried out in the laboratory.

In order to be able to permanently check the quality of the developed drugs, an analytical laboratory was subsequently upgraded and equipped. Unless one has a sufficiently furnished analytical laboratory it is impossible to test such parameters as content, dissolution rate and related substances of the newly developed drug formulations. Moreover appropriate analytical methods can now be developed for routine quality control.