Seven directorates.
One mandate: safe medicines for Zambia.
From the moment a medicine is proposed for the Zambian market to the moment it's checked on a pharmacy shelf, a different directorate carries the work — regulation, testing, licensing, and enforcement, each reporting to the Director-General.
What each department is responsible for
Each directorate is led by a Director reporting to the Director-General. Descriptions below cover departmental mandates only — not individual job roles.
Department of Marketing Authorisation
Reviews and approves every medicine before it enters the Zambian market — human medicines, herbal remedies, biologicals and vaccines — and oversees the clinical trials, pharmacovigilance and drug-information work that keeps approved products safe once in use. Also authorises allied substances such as cosmetics, medical devices, biocidal products and nutritional supplements.
Department of Veterinary Medicines & Allied Substances
Regulates the marketing authorisation and licensing of veterinary medicines, vaccines and biologics, and veterinary allied substances — safeguarding animal health and, by extension, the safety of Zambia's food chain.
Department of Laboratory Services
ZAMRA's scientific backbone — independently tests medicines and allied products to confirm they are what they claim to be. Runs physico-chemical analysis, microbiological testing and medical-device evaluation, supported by metrology, sample custody and stores management.
Department of Finance
Manages the Authority's financial resources — financial and management accounting, budgeting and reporting, and stores/inventory control — so ZAMRA's regulatory operations remain funded, accountable and audit-ready.
Department of Legal
Provides legal advice to the Board and Director-General, prosecutes offences under the Medicines and Allied Substances Act, handles litigation, and drives regulatory-compliance enforcement. The Director also serves as Board Secretary.
Department of Human Resource & Administration
Builds and supports ZAMRA's workforce — recruitment, HR development and registry/records — and runs the administrative services that keep the Authority operating day to day, from facilities and transport to front-of-house support.
Department of Licensing & Enforcement
ZAMRA's presence on the ground. Licenses premises and persons dealing in medicines and allied substances, and enforces compliance through surveillance, GMP inspection and investigations — run from headquarters and a network of regional offices covering the country's provinces, borders and trade routes.
Reporting lines: every directorate reports directly to the Director-General (ZAMRA 1). The Department of Legal has an additional functional line to the Board Chairperson, since the Director doubles as Board Secretary — the only directorate with a dual reporting relationship.
Support units around the Director-General
Smaller specialist units that sit outside the seven directorates, each reporting directly to the DG's office.
Monitoring & Evaluation Unit
Tracks organisational performance and strategy execution across all directorates.
Executive Assistant
Provides direct executive support to the Director-General's office.
Internal Audit Unit
Independent assurance function, reporting functionally to the Audit Committee to protect organisational integrity.
Procurement Unit
Sources and procures the goods and services the Authority needs to operate.
ICT Unit
Builds and maintains ZAMRA's software systems, network infrastructure and IT security.
Quality & Risk Unit
Coordinates quality assurance and risk management, with a quality officer embedded in every directorate.
Public Relations Unit
Manages ZAMRA's public communications and media relations.