Media sensitization and advocacy about the First Regional Regulatory Authority Conference by IGAD and the Member States, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
IGAD on Health System Strengthening:

Summary: Policy framework and regulatory system for pharmaceuticals & Medical products and quality assurance, with possible harmonization among the IGAD Member States.

Addis Ababa, (Ethiopia),Wednesday 01 July, 2015: The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in close collaboration with the Ethiopian government and other partners in the region like: NEPAD, WHO, USP/PQM and UNFPA, organize a regional conference, for regulatory authority and health sector representatives from IGAD Member States, from August 3-5, 2015, at Hilton Hotel, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), through the active role and engagement of its federal Ministry of Health and Ethiopian Food, Medicine and Health care Administration and Control Authority (FMHACA), initiated the advocacy and sensitization for the need to have a policy frame work for regulatory system strengthening of pharmaceuticals and medical products, based on the declaration and recommendation made by the IGAD Member States, during the First IGAD International Scientific Conference on Health (FIISCH) held in Addis Ababa, in December last year.
The objectives of the Regional Conference are to:

•    Coordinate efforts in order to protect the health of their public from SSFFC  medical products
•    Increase the exchange of information and awareness to raise, develop, update, promote norms and standards
•    Develop a platform for strengthening country regulatory infrastructures and capacity
•    Establish mechanisms for effective exchange of information and to provide assistance on specific issues pertaining to combating counterfeit medical products
•    Encourage and facilitate coordination among countries on various anti- counterfeiting initiatives
•    Explore the regulatory system and capacity gaps of the IGAD Member States regulatory systems
•    Stock of best practices in medicines regulation in the IGAD region
•    Share experience from : WAHO, EAC, NEPAD, WHO and other regional medicine regulatory harmonization programs
•    Build consensus on establishment of regulatory system, harmonization, border control of SSFFC and initiating regulatory science education to meet the needs in the region.

The development of regulatory Standards, regulatory system, Harmonization and Standardization of Pharmaceuticals quality assurance system in IGAD Member States is a timely issue since the need for regulatory system strengthening and harmonization of quality assurance in East African countries and other regional economic communities in Africa has been realized long ago and has been benefiting the respective regions. This regional Conference is believed to be a great opportunity for all IGAD Member States and their partners for collaboration: a step towards the protection of the population of IGAD Member States from Substandard, Spurious, Falsely labeled Falsified Counterfeit (SSFFC), medical products, and promotes availability of quality medicines and medical products in the region.

For more information, contact:

Dawit Dibelto, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Heran Gerba, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Girum Hailu, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.