The Kurdistan Regional Government has launched a new project to control the movement of medicines from border points until they reach patients. This initiative, announced by Health Minister Dr. Saman Barzanji, aims to prevent smuggling, ensure quality, and regulate prices within the Kurdistan Region.
Dr. Barzanji mentioned that the ministry has begun implementing a system to monitor medicine flow from the borders to hospitals and pharmacies. He explained that every medicine entering the Kurdistan Region will receive a digital code. Through this system, officials can track where each batch enters, which warehouse it reaches, and which pharmacy or hospital it is delivered to. The entire movement will appear on a monitoring screen until the medicine reaches patients.
He emphasized that this system allows full supervision by the Ministry of Health over all pharmaceutical activities. The project will include all medicine companies, warehouses, pharmacies, and both public and private hospitals and health centers.
The minister also warned that any pharmaceutical factory that does not meet the Kurdistan Region’s quality standards will lose its import license. Currently, 20 foreign factories have been restricted from sending their products to the Kurdistan market.
Additionally, all imported medicines must pass quality control tests, and their prices will be set by the Health Ministry. No company or pharmacy is allowed to sell medicines above the approved rate.