ISLAMABAD: The USAID has handed over a Document Management System (DMS) to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) under the Global Health Supply Chain-Procurement and Supply Management project.
“We appreciate USAID’s technology assistance in digitisation of 15 years historical 4.1 million records of DRAP. I am very happy to know that DRAP’s needs have been articulated into a Document Management System (DMS) in line with international standard,” said SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan.
He added that this would drastically improve the record keeping necessary for a transparent regulatory environment. He said not only will DMS ensure ease of business with local and international pharmaceutical industry but similar digitisation efforts should be made with Pakistan Medical Council and other departments.
CEO DRAP Asim Rauf apprised that the digitization has made it easier to store, access and transmit the paper based record, it has improved the data sharing with in the different sections of DRAP. He said DRAP believes in transparent and the departments have tested DMS and have already started the application.
USAID Deputy Mission Director Michael Nehrbass said the digitised system “modernises, streamlines, and harmonises data archives, which directly supports data accessibility and visibility.”
Public health specialist and former SAPM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza lauded the digital archiving of historical record. He it will ensure transparency of information and records management which ultimately will help ensure access to quality-assured medicines and commodities in Pakistan.
He said that he is pleased to see DRAP moving towards stringent regulatory authority status which would help opening new avenues for our local therapeutic products across the globe.
The USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program Country Director Dr Muhammad Tariq apprised the audience about technology cooperation with the government for strengthening public health supply chain and digitisation of DRAP’s record.
He assured that bilateral cooperation between USAID and Pakistan is aligned with NHS and NIH vision of integrated digital health and real time information systems and that USAID funded Global Health Supply Chain will continue providing assistance on Global Standards for sustainable development.
