Latwell Nyangu
THE Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to address the issue of unregulated medicines on the market.
The MoU will enable the regulators to develop a partnership that promotes access to safe, effective and quality health products in their respective countries and will see both MCAZ and SAHPRA carry out joint product reviews and inspections.
Detection and curbing of substandard and falsified health products moving between the two countries will also be tackled.
“This partnership will also focus on detection and curbing of substandard and falsified health products moving between the two countries, which has of late been a major challenge that the two regulators have identified.
“This landmark event marks a significant step towards strengthening the regulatory frameworks of both Zimbabwe and South Africa in the pharmaceutical sector.
“The MoU is designed to facilitate cooperation and collaboration between the two countries in the areas of medicines regulation, quality control and pharmacovigilance,” MCAZ director, Richard Rukwata, said.
Pharmacovigilance is monitoring the effects of medical drugs after they have been licenced for use, especially in order to identify and evaluate previously unreported adverse reactions.
SAHPRA chief executive officer, Dr Boitumelo Semete Makokotleta, said:
“The forging of partnerships such as this MoU with the MCAZ is key to further enhancing and building capacity on the continent.”
