The Namibia Medicine Regulatory Council, NMRC, on Tuesdsay held a meeting to address the newly appointed health practitioners. A statutory body established in terms of the 2003 Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, the NMRC, regulates the use of medicines in Namibia. Appointed by the Health and Social Services Minister, the NMRC appoints technical committees to assist in carrying out the mandate of regulating the sale and use of medicines. Minister Bernhard Haufiku said the NMRC was important for the ministry to compose or constitute a well balanced and well represented council that was able to deal in a professional decisive manner with issues pertaining to pharmaceutical regulations in Namibia. Dr Haufiku said regulating and registering medicine was some of the major challenges the medicine sector faced. He encouraged the new health practitioners, giving them a task to seek closer collaboration between Namibia and other countries.