By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The African Medicines Agency
(AMA) has inaugurated seven technical committees in Kigali, Rwanda, to
strengthen scientific assessments and reviews of medical products across the
continent.
Dr Delese Mimi Darko,
Director General of the AMA, announced the inauguration, describing the
committees as the point at which the agency “gains its working hands”.
The committees bring
together experts from across Africa to carry out scientific assessments and
reviews, including dossiers and clinical trial applications, and provide
independent scientific opinions on the quality, safety and efficacy of medical
products.
According to Darko, the
committees will help translate shared standards into coordinated decisions,
enabling quality, safe and effective medical products to reach patients sooner.
“For regulators and
manufacturers, it means less duplication and clearer pathways across borders,”
she said.
Darko thanked the committee
members for accepting the responsibility, saying, “The continent is counting on
your expertise.”
She also expressed
appreciation to the World Health Organisation, the European Medicines Agency
and other partners for supporting the agency at the milestone.
The inauguration marks a
step in strengthening the AMA’s technical capacity to support coordinated
regulatory processes and improve access to medical products across African
countries.
