Bio

Pharm. Tamba Buffa is a Regulatory Officer and Head of

Distribution Chain Inspection Department at the Pharmacy

Board of Sierra Leone. With over a decade of experience in

pharmaceutical regulation he oversees pharmaceutical

distribution chain in relation to retail outlets which

encompasses pharmacies drugstores and patent enterprises

across the country and ensures their compliance with standards.

Pharm. Tamba Buffa holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree

with Honours {B. Pharm (Hons)} from College of Medicine and

Allied Health Sciences University of Sierra Leone (USL). His

qualification also includes Master of Public Health (USL) Master

of Science in Pharmaceutical Microbiology (USL) and Master of

Science in Regulatory Science (University of Lagos). He has

also completed a Fellowship course with the West African

Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP). His vast

experience in regulations position him well to lead supervise

the country’s retail pharmaceutical distribution chain.

THE DEPARTMENT

The Distribution Chain Inspection was borne out of the

separation of the former Inspection department with the

necessity of maximizing productivity in the outcome of activities 

carried out by the inspection department. Structurally the

Department is composed of the Head Office headed by

the Head of the department and two other units including

Taskforce unit and the Outlet unit. The Regional offices 

are composed of a multidisciplinary team known as the

Task Force which usually helps the Board through the

Regional Secretary to carry out effective regulatory

functions in their respective areas of operation. As a

means of enhancing an effective management system

the distribution Chain Inspection  department provide 

support to other departments in the areas of dossier

evaluation good Clinical practice peddler raids and other

regulatory functions.The department is tasked with 

administrative functions supervisory roles an inspection

of pharmaceutical outlets and organoleptic inspection

thereby ensuring that all pharmaceutical outlets are 

stocked with quality medicines that meet the needs

of ordinary citizens.

Scope

The department is mandated to ensure Good Distribution

Practices(GDP) are undertaken by all pharmaceutical

outlets across the country. It also ensures all retail outlets

are inspected for the purpose of assuring safety and quality

medicines in the distribution chain. here are two units in

this department

1. Pharmaceutical Outlets (Private and Public)

2. Regional Offices (Bo Kenema Makeni and Kono)

Functions

• Assess inspection operational processes to ensure they meet regulatory
• standards.
• 
  
• 
  
• Conduct regular inspections to identify potential issues
• 
  
• Provide training to inspection teams on procedures and standards
• 
  
• 
  
• Ensure retail pharmaceutical outlets adherence to relevant regulations
• and standards. 
• 
  
• 
  
• Analyze inspection results to identify trends and areas for
• improvement.
• 
  
• 
  
• Coordinating with other departments to integrate inspection
• exercises 
• 
  
• 
  
• Conduct suitability assessments of existing and new pharmaceutical
• outlets.
• 
  
• 
  
• Formulation of polices relating to the Good Storage and Distribution
• Practices.
• 
  
• 
  
• Initiate the processes of license renewal for existing premises.
• 
  
• 
  
• Process newly approved premises files for licenses.
• 
  
• 
  
• Supervise the implementation of the operational activities of the
• Ad-Hoc Taskforces/Regional offices (South East North and Kono).
• 
  
• 
  
• Conduct quarterly Ad-Hoc Taskforce meetings for the regional offices