Kenya is hosting the 5th African Union Smart Safety Surveillance (AU-3S) Steering Committee Meeting in Mombasa, showcasing notable progress in health safety across the continent.
In a speech delivered by Dr. Sultan Matendechero, Acting Director General of Public Health and Professional Standards, Cabinet Secretary for Health Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa highlighted the Ministry of Health’s achievements in collaboration with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB).
Key milestones include the introduction of new pharmacovigilance regulations, the implementation of a training curriculum for Qualified Persons for Pharmacovigilance, and enhanced reporting rates of adverse events following COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Cabinet Secretary emphasized that this expansion underscores Africa’s commitment to improving patient safety and public health. She stressed the importance of ongoing collaboration, noting, “We anticipate continued support to strengthen the monitoring of health products. Our efforts include acquiring data collection equipment for active safety surveillance of COVID-19 vaccines and improving regulatory decision-making through joint signal management.”
Dr. Mlongo expressed gratitude to AUDA-NEPAD, the AU-3S Programme, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the US Food and Drug Administration, and WHO for their unwavering support. She said, “We are hopeful for productive discussions and impactful outcomes.”
The meeting aims to further advance health product safety and enhance collaborative efforts across Africa, continuing the continent’s progress in safeguarding public health.
Running from the 12th to 13th of September 2024, the meeting is attended by Heads of African National Regulatory Agencies, senior officials from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, US FDA, and AUDA-NEPAD.
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