The 7th Biennial Scientific Conference on Medical Product Regulation in Africa (SCoMRA VII) has concluded with delegates unanimously endorsing the Republic of Senegal as the host of the 8th edition, scheduled for November 2027.
Held under the theme “Regulatory Harmonization – Unlocking Africa’s Potential in Health Product Manufacturing and Trade,” the conference brought together regulators, industry leaders, policymakers, and development partners to deliberate on some of the continent’s most pressing pharmaceutical regulatory challenges..
Participants examined strategies to combat substandard and falsified medical products, strengthen regulatory responses in public health emergencies, advance clinical trials oversight, and draw global lessons on regulatory preparedness. Discussions also focused on aligning continental regulatory priorities with Africa’s growing ambitions in local manufacturing and trade.
In his closing remarks, Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) Chairperson Dr John M. Munyu lauded the depth of engagement over the three-day forum, noting that the outcomes provided “crucial ways of improving product quality, registration, and access across the continent.”
“We have held meaningful discussions on strengthening regulatory systems, advancing reliance, and accelerating access to quality, safe, and effective medical products in Africa,” said Dr Munyu.
He described SCoMRA VII as highly insightful, adding that the plenary deliberations—covering the ongoing continental pilot on medicines listing, digital transformation, post-market surveillance, and capacity building—had yielded “practical pathways for implementation.”
Dr Munyu further commended the African Union, AUDA-NEPAD, the Africa Medicines Agency (AMA), and industry partners for their continued support of the Africa Medicine Regulatory Harmonisation (AMRH) agenda.
“The spirit of partnership and collective responsibility demonstrated here reaffirms our shared goal: a stronger, more harmonized, and more responsive regulatory ecosystem for Africa,” he said.
Looking ahead, Dr Munyu emphasized that the recommendations from SCoMRA VII will shape the next biennium, with particular focus on the operationalization of the Africa Medicines Agency and scaling up continental regulatory initiatives.
“I urge all Member States, Heads of Agencies, and technical teams to take forward the actions agreed here with renewed energy and urgency,” he noted.
The event was attended by Africa Medicines Agency Director General Dr Delese Darko, representatives from the World Health Organization, and senior leaders from national regulatory authorities and pharmaceutical sectors across Africa and beyond.
