Justicia Shipena
Fabupharm (Pty) Ltd says its children’s paracetamol syrup is safe.
The pharmaceutical company, based in Otjiwarongo, said it has not received any formal notice from the Namibian Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC) indicating that its paracetamol syrup is defective, unsafe, or non-compliant.
This comes after parliamentarian Job Amupanda claimed he has evidence that the syrup is unsafe.
The paracetamol syrup is used to treat pain and fever in children.
In a media statement, Fabupharm said the syrup is manufactured under strict international Good Manufacturing Practices standards, following guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and local laws.
The company said its facility runs under a validated quality management system.
It said this ensures careful testing and control of raw materials, processes, and final products.
“All our products are routinely and independently tested by the Government Quality Surveillance Laboratory (QSL) under the Ministry of Health and Social Services. This external oversight provides an additional layer of assurance that our medicines meet the highest standards of safety, efficacy, and consistency,” said Fabupharm.
The company said there have been no product recalls, regulatory warnings, or confirmed quality failures related to its syrup.
However, earlier this year, the Ministry of Health recalled a facial scrub manufactured by Fabupharm due to complaints.
In a letter dated 16 January, the ministry’s deputy director of operations, Barnabas Iitula, said the recall of the chlorhexidine 4% 20L product followed several reports from users.
Amupanda, in a video released this week, said he obtained “concrete information and evidence” that the syrup “doesn’t meet the standards”, based on an inspection reportedly done by the NMRC.
He said the inspection found the syrup to have “critical defects” and that it should have been recalled two years ago.
“This particular syrup is supposed to have been recalled two years ago. Two years of this country allowing this potentially life-threatening – we don’t know for sure, but there’s a possibility that it is life-threatening – syrup is being distributed there, and our children are taking it,” he said.
He questioned why the NMRC has not acted despite allegedly knowing about the issue.
“How is it that you have this information and you sit on it for two years and you don’t do anything about it?” he asked. “Some people were speculating that the council may be in the pockets of Fabupharm.”
Amupanda suggested that the council should take immediate action.
“I’m giving instructions to this council, those of you that are on that council, and you are listening, that tomorrow, convene a meeting and discuss and issue a recall letter for all the syrup that is potentially life-threatening medication.”
He demanded that the council issue a public statement explaining the recall process and giving full details on the product in question.
“You must also make a demonstration, release a public statement and give the proper information so that people can understand what is in that syrup and what it looks like, and what it is that they must do. You must explain the recall process properly.”
He also called on the health minister to intervene and replace the current NMRC.
“This also goes to our Minister of Health, and we expect a new council. You can’t have a council that is sitting on that information for two years,” he said.
Amupanda warned about possible risks and pointed to a past tragedy in The Gambia.
“We also know that there was a hiccup in The Gambia, where about 66 children died because of similar circumstances. We can’t have a situation like that.”
“If any of you, both the minister and council, fail to do what we are directing and advising you to do, we will be forced to take action on our own.”
In February 2023, the Central Procurement Board of Namibia faced criticism over its attempt to award a two-year N$458 million medical tender to Fabupharm.
Fabupharm manufactures about 330 products and was established in 1989.
