UAE's Ministry of Health signs agreement with US's Pfizer drug maker for medical inventory

DUBAI, 22nd May, 2017 (WAM) -- The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MOHAP, has signed an agreement with Pfizer on the strategic inventory of medicines at the ministry.

The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Dr. Mohammad Salim Al Olama, Under-Secretary of MOHAP. The deal was signed by Dr. Abdul Karim Al Zarouni, Director of the Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Centre, who was representing the ministry, and Tarek Youssef, Regional President, Pfizer Africa & Middle East.

Dr. Al Olama said that Pfizer has been MOHAPs strategic partner for 40 years, and noted the support of the UAE governments wise leadership in building a modern healthcare infrastructure and creating a positive investment and legislative environment for international medical companies such as Pfizer. This has made the UAE a regional hub for innovative and high-quality pharmaceutical products and elevated the countrys global competitiveness, he added.

The UAE official said that MOHAPs strategic objective is to enhance the health of individuals and society as a whole in the UAE by providing comprehensive and distinctive services in a sustainable health environment. This would be in accordance with effective policies, legislation, programmes, and local and international partnerships.

The agreement, based on Article 4 of Cabinet Resolution No. (39) for 2015, seeks to provide and manage a strategic medical stock as part of the ministrys medical preparedness in order to promptly respond to medical and health needs. The agreement also includes the approval of procedures for the provision of medicines in emergency situations in order to provide the best services to patients and hospitals.

Dr. Al Zarouni explained that the goal of the agreement is to provide sufficient medical stock that can cover health needs for a maximum period of six months in case of emergency. This is in addition to the strategic inventories of the ministry and the health authorities in the UAE, in co-ordination with the National Authority for Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management and other health authorities.

The company will keep the medical stock or supply it to the warehouses of the ministry, following the agreement and in accordance with the rules and standards to ensure its safety and use when needed. A joint working committee will be formed to follow up co-ordination between the parties to implement this agreement in the best possible manner.

Speaking about the agreement, Tarek Youssef, said, "Pfizer is committed to working with the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention to ensure that patients in the country are able to access medicines in times of need. Pfizer was one of the first biopharmaceutical companies to help address strategic stock challenges in the country by investing in a hub that now serves as a point of distribution for the region. Access to innovative medicines is an essential part of achieving the Government's Healthcare Vision 2021 and Pfizer believes that this initiative will have a significant impact."