31 Aug 2023

Almost 50 per cent of counterfeit medicines are found in Africa and they are responsible for the death of almost half a million people in the Sub-Saharan region, says Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana.

Speaking on strengthening Africa’s regulatory capacity for the ‘Africa we want’ campaign at the ongoing 73rd session of the WHO regional committee on Africa (RC73) in Gaborone yesterday, Dr Nsanzimana said the disease burden in Africa was at an all time high and that there was a need for a regulatory body to harmonise medical product regulation and ensure the safety and efficacy of medicines.

He said with a population of over 1.3 billion people the need for a coordinated and effective regulatory framework for medicines had never been more pressing.

He added that the establishment and operationalisation of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) was crucial as it would play a pivotal role in fostering a more robust pharmaceutical industry in the region.

Driven by the African Union (AU), Dr Nsanzimana also said the initiative reflected the growing recognition of the importance of health security and a robust pharmaceutical industry in Africa’s development agenda.

“My country was one of the first countries to ratify the treaty for the establishment of the AMA, and I encourage more African states to come on board so that we can build a better future for our children,” he said.

Minister of  Health in Ghana, Dr Kweku Agyemang-Manu shared Dr Nsanzimana’s sentiments on the need for more African states to sign and ratify the AMA treaty as it would encourage innovation in the African pharmaceutical industry.

Dr Agyemang-Manu said the lack of a unified approach to drug regulation had often resulted in uneven quality standards and accessibility to essential medicines. He said AMA would play a pivotal role in alleviating such challenges.

For his part, World Health Organisation (WHO) director general, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said only 26 AU countries had ratified the treaty for the establishment of the AMA and urged more member states to follow suit.

Dr Ghebreyesus further stated that WHO had allocated US$1 million to  support AMA in its establishment and initial operations.

“The AMA will play a critical role in strengthening capacity for members in the continent for safe and effective medical products,” he said.

He added that the agency would provide a solid foundation for local manufacturing and technology transfer.

“WHO will continue to provide political and technical support to AMA along giving support to Africa’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” he said.

Botswana is one of the countries that have ratified the AMA treaty. ENDS