MONROVIA – A dispute has erupted inside the Liberia Medication & Well being Merchandise Regulatory Authority (LMHRA) over the suspension of G2 Pharmacy’s import license. Managing Director Dr. Luke Bawo has rejected the Board of Administrators’ authority to subject such a mandate, whereas the Board insists its decision stands.
The controversy stems from a Board decision calling for the suspension of G2 Pharmacy’s license over allegations that the corporate imported an unlabelled batch of the anesthesia drug Bupivacaine 0.5%, linked to at the least one fatality.
Dr. Bawo claims the decision was by no means formally launched however was leaked to the Liberia Pharmacists Affiliation and medication importers’ chatrooms by the Board Chair.
“It (the decision) was by no means launched. It was the Board Chair that leaked it to the Pharmacist Affiliation chatroom and the importers chartroom. I’m not certain how FrontPage Africa bought it. However nevertheless method they bought it, it was unedited, it was unreleased and it brings us again once more to the Act. The Board, even with that unreleased mandate, has no authority to subject such mandate. It’s the sole accountability of the Managing Director of the Authority to droop, to fantastic, to de-register and to register merchandise,” Dr. Bawo stated.
Citing the LMHRA Act, Dr. Bawo argued that regulatory enforcement powers relaxation solely with the Managing Director and that any Board directive on this regard is exterior its authorized mandate.
Board Stands Agency
The Board, chaired by Dr. David Sumo, holds a unique view. In a press release, it reaffirmed its decision and introduced plans to have the Managing Director report on the suspension’s implementation.
“Our authorized staff is dealing with G2’s letter and can reply to them appropriately. The Board stands by its decision and could have the MD report back to the Board on the standing of its implementation at our subsequent assembly,” Dr. Sumo stated.
Background to the Dispute
In July, LMHRA introduced the indefinite suspension of G2 Pharmacy’s import license after figuring out that the corporate imported a consignment of Bupivacaine 0.5% with out English labeling, in violation of packaging laws. The company additionally ordered a right away recall of the product.
Bupivacaine 0.5% is extensively used to numb particular areas of the physique throughout medical procedures by blocking nerve indicators.
LMHRA, established on September 29, 2010, is remitted to make sure that all medicines and well being merchandise in Liberia are protected, efficient, and of top of the range, in keeping with the Nationwide Drug Coverage.
G2 Pharmacy’s Response
G2 Pharmacy has strongly objected to the Board’s decision, calling it each legally and procedurally flawed.
In a letter to Dr. Sumo, G2’s authorized staff argued that the decision contradicts the official Investigative Findings and Ruling issued by the LMHRA Listening to Board on Might 16, 2025. That ruling concluded with a financial fantastic, which G2 paid in full, thereby closing the matter beneath LMHRA’s personal due course of.
“The following issuance of a decision imposing extra sanctions, with out additional investigation or listening to, constitutes administrative overreach and violates rules of equity and finality,” the corporate said.
G2 additional cited LMHRA Act, Half IV, Part 2.1 and 5, paragraph 3(c), which they are saying grants the ability to subject or droop licenses solely to the Managing Director.
“How come the Board Chair and a few members of the Board suspended G2 Pharmacy’s license? Is it procedural? We reply an emphatic no and preserve that you just acted with none authority pursuant to the LMHRA Act quoted supra,” the corporate stated.
When contacted by FrontPage Africa, Dr. Bawo sided with G2’s interpretation, saying the Board had no authorized foundation to droop the license.
