Measures related to Health Regulation in view of COVID-19 Pandemic in El Salvador
Since the entry into force of Executive Decree No. 12 “Extraordinary Measures for Prevention and Containment, in order to Contain the COVID-19 Pandemic” on March 21st, 2020, the sanitary registration procedures for regulated products have continued to be carried out in El Salvador with certain variations, in order to comply with the sanitary measures dictated by our authorities.
After the first decree, the government offices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Health and the National Directorate of Medications continue to operate. Despite the above, restrictions on citizen mobilization have made these institutions adaptable to the needs of their users.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, is only making import visas, the rest of the procedures are paralyzed until the end of the extraordinary period.
For the registration of food and beverages, the Coordinator of the Food and Beverage Unit of the Ministry of Health has made it possible to complete post-registration procedures electronically. Likewise, the Ministry of Health has enabled the possibility of carrying out sample analysis in private laboratories with accredited determinations during this extraordinary period.
It should also be mentioned that, under Executive Decree No. 14 of 30 March 2020, that substituted Decree No. 12, as part of the “Extraordinary prevention and containment measures to declare the national territory a zone subject to health control, in order to contain the COVID-19 pandemic”, Article 2 k) provides that “Persons who work in cargo vehicles for the transportation and distribution of goods and are part of the food supply chain, and their products or whose activity is the import or export of prime necessity goods” are authorized to move during the quarantine period.
The National Directorate of Medications has authorized the reception of: applications for post-registration changes and corrections (chemical, medical and administrative areas), corrections of new registrations, consultations on the payment of annuities and generation of payment orders, support on applications for new online registration and the release of batches of vaccines through e-mails previously established for each procedure.
Additionally, the National Directorate of Medications has extended the period for payment of annuities and renewals, until April 13th, 2020 without falling into arrears or being subject to fines.
Fermina Bolaños Meardi
Senior Associate
García & Bodán
El Salvador