E-drug: Somali Group for Rational Use of Drugs
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Dear E-Druggers
The Somali Group for Rational Use of Drugs (SGRUD) was
established recently. It is composed of Somali
individuals with experience in the field of drugs and
who are interested in promoting the safety,
availability, accessibility and rational use of drugs
in Somalia (and elsewhere).
As most E-Druggers know, Somalia has not at present a
government or any central authority. Therefore there
are no institutions that can develop policies, make
regulations, plan and implement activities.
In this concise presentation it is impossible to
describe the plight of the Somali population at the
present time. In the field of medicines, the
situation was already very bad when the country had a
government. Officially there was a drug policy and
there were lists (different levels) of essential drugs
but in reality things were not working as they were
supposed to. Now the situation is obviously much
worse. Drug information, procurement, distribution,
quality and use are in complete chaos. There is no
quality control nor any certification scheme is
followed.
Medicines are sold everywhere and by anyone.
Pharmaceuticals come into the country in different
ways but mostly imported by unsupervised traders who
themselves have little or no knowledge about
pharmaceuticals. There are no data but the impression
is that a proportion of circulating drugs are fake or
substandard.
Another serious problem is drug abuse, which, in the
absence of law enforcement and drug education
programmes has become endemic. Khat is used and abused
even in remote areas where it was unknown just a few
years ago; it is causing social and health problems
while draining so much of the available meager hard
currency. A number of other drugs are also abused.
Not much is being done about drug problems
(pharmaceuticals, narcotic drugs and psychotropic
substances). People are struggling to survive and if
they can get any medicines they would not question
their quality and safety. Security problems have
compelled aid organizations to pull out of most areas
of the country.
Somalia is at present badly connected with the rest of
the world. Postal services are not working. On-line
services are starting now and are very expensive. This
makes people, including health professionals, isolated
from the resources and communication that they need.
Against this background, some health professionals
felt the need to establish a group to draw attention
on the problem and take steps to improve the
situation. SGRUD is an advocacy and action group. It
intends inter alia to create awareness on the problems
described above inside and outside the country, carry
out studies, help in reducing the communication gap
between Somali health professionals and the rest of
the world, give advise and guidance on matters
relating to pharmaceuticals and drug abuse in Somalia,
assist in improving availability, accessibility,
safety and rational use of drugs, help future
government in establishing a sound drug policy.
SGRUD has members working in Somalia and others who
are living abroad. This arrangement was deemed
effective because of the isolation of the country and
in order to ensure contacts and communication with the
rest of the world.
The international coordinating office is located in
Toronto, Canada where I am stationed at present. My
name is Abdullahi Elmi and I am writing this as the
International Coordinator of SGRUD. I do not wish to
mention here my present affiliation as my involvement
with SGRUD is on personal basis. I am a pharmacologist
and former professor of pharmacology and traditional
medicine in the Somali National University. I
coordinated the establishment of the essential drugs
list for Somalia. I have been senior technical adviser
with the United Nations International Drug Control
Programme (UNDCP) in Vienna (Austria). I was dealing
with control and regulatory matters of prescription
drugs under international control. I have organized
local and international meetings and training courses
on essential drugs and drug abuse. I have conducted
studies on khat (Catha edulis) in Somalia and in other
countries. I have been WHO National Information
Officer in Somalia and worked with this Organization
as short-term consultant and temporary adviser in
other occasions.
Abdullahi
Abdullahi Elmi
SGRUD
Tel. (416) 604-5905
Fax (416) 767-6195
E-mail: somali_drugs@yahoo.com
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