Egypt’s EDA chief opens 1st meeting of Africa’s WHO ML3 Alliance

Ali El Ghamrawy, Head of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), virtually participated Tuesday in the inaugural steering committee meeting of African regulators with Level 3 (ML3) certification from the World Health Organisation (WHO). This marks Egypt’s commitment to enhancing its role in Africa’s regulatory landscape.

The meeting, hosted in Abuja, Nigeria, was organised by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). It focused on harmonising regulatory frameworks across the continent to speed up drug registration processes and promote the production and distribution of high-quality health products in Africa.

El Ghamrawy highlighted Egypt’s significant contribution to building a unified African pharmaceutical regulatory system. “Mutual trust and joint efforts are the foundation for a robust and effective regulatory framework that serves the health needs of the entire African continent,” he said in his virtual address.

Egypt’s participation follows the country’s recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with seven other African regulatory bodies, solidifying its commitment to supporting the African Union’s agenda for regulatory cooperation. This agreement aims to foster faster drug approval processes, ensure the safety and efficacy of medicines, and bolster the continent’s health sovereignty.

The meeting reviewed technical documents related to the ML3 Reliance Coordination Mechanism, including a draft of the continental regulatory framework. This framework is expected to serve as a unified tool to streamline regulations across African nations, enhancing the collective ability to respond to health challenges.

This meeting is a critical step in Egypt’s broader efforts to elevate its pharmaceutical industry and strengthen its position as a key player in African health systems. By supporting the integration of African regulatory processes, Egypt is playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of the continent’s healthcare landscape.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser