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"id": 1104157,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1104157/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Tigania West, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. John Mutunga",
"speaker": {
"id": 13495,
"legal_name": "John Kanyuithia Mutunga",
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"content": "Finally, for medicines, the market authorisation holder of medicine is responsible for the documentation. On the other hand, the authorisation in terms of food is multi-sectoral and multi- institutional and I will be able to enlist some of these institutions if given the opportunity. As we said, the safety of the food is from the farm to the folk. Different agencies are involved. In this case, it is multi-sectoral as I have indicated. I would like to list the institutions that are involved in governing the food safety issue. One of them is the Agriculture and Food Authority in this country. There is the directorate of livestock production which is involved in livestock production or livestock-related foods. It is the directorate of veterinary medicine which takes care of the disease control and the safety of the food. Indeed, I need to emphasise here that the directorate of veterinary medicine is the Kenyan recognised competent authority. Unless the Director of Veterinary Services declares meat safe for consumption, we cannot sell outside this country. So, it is the only recognised competent authority. There is also the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), which does research for livestock and crops in this country. There is the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). We know about it. There is Kenya Dairy Board in terms of milk, the Kenya Fisheries Services for fish, the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Institute for purposes of training and research on fisheries and the National Environmental and Management Authority (NEMA). We all know what NEMA does. There is the National Biosafety Authority, the Pest Control Products Board, the Public Health Department, the State Department of Crops Development, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and finally the State Department of Water. Having said that, it is important to realise that all those institutions work in collaboration. One output of an institution becomes an input into the other institution. So, in this case, we cannot just say one institution will be able to control everything. It is impossible. Many countries have tried this and they have come back to separate. Indeed, I would like to thank the Departmental Committee on Health because they have realised it is not possible to combine food and drugs in one legislation. They have to be in two separate legislations. On the other hand, there is the issue of regulation. When it comes to medicines, the regulation of medicines requires maybe one or two institutions. After production and the research of the medical substances, it has to go through efficacy trials and after these trials, the approval process. After the approval, it is, therefore, passed through one body – the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, which registers and controls the distribution. On the other hand, it is not possible for food. When it comes to food safety, regulation has to be done by many institutions. Alongside these institutions, there is the need to look at feeds. Feeds also need to be looked into. Feed is what is given to the animals. We eat animals. We eat meat. We drink milk and take the eggs. We eat fish as well. What gets into the fish, milk and meat is consumed by human beings. There is a set of diseases called zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are those that are transferable from animals to humans, like diseases through milk. On the other hand, there are those substances that remain in the crops, milk or meat residues. We have regulations that determine the maximum residual levels, in other words the largest amount that should be contained in a specific substance so that it can be cleared safe for human consumption. Coming back to the recent times, many countries have gone back to separate these legislations. The Food and Drug Administration has heavily borrowed from the Pure Food and Drugs of America of 1906. The FDA must make an attempt to inject efficiency in its regulatory functions. For us to have efficiency in regulation, we must be able to ensure that these institutions are left to do their work as competent authorities and experts in that area. When you look at the American case, seven institutions are involved and not one. They are the US Department of The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}