Africa's hope to reduced distribution of substandard medical products.
The global market volume of substandard and falsified medicine could be up to US$200 billion, and up to 70% of the total medicines in circulation are in some parts of Africa. An estimated 1 in 10 medical products circulating in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified, according to a research from WHO. This means that people are taking medicines that fail to treat or prevent disease, these products can cause serious illness or even death.
We are facing this problem in Africa because we lack sufficient tools and technical capacity to enforce quality standards in manufacturing, supply and distribution of the medical products. The issue of inadequate regulation and governance also plays a huge role as it allows for unethical practices by wholesalers, retailers and health workers in the distribution chain.
There is hope for Africa to solve the above issues with the set up of AMA. The African Medicines Agency (AMA) is a Specialized Agency of the African Union that regulate medical products in order to improve access to quality, safe and efficacious medical products across the continent. Its other goal is to support the growth of local pharmaceuticals and opening up and expansion of medical products markets across Africa.
11 member states, namely; Algeria, Benin, Chad, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Rwanda, Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Senegal and Tunisia are amongst the first countries to sign the Treaty, and only Rwanda, has deposited its instrument of ratification at the office of the Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission.
This is a huge issue affecting our continent and threatening lives but AMA presents an opportunity that we can leverage on to solve the challenge and grow as a continent.
Let's come together and mobilize other AU members to sign the treaty so as to see to the success and achievements of AMA objectives.
AMA treaty was endorsed in February 2019, by African Heads of state.
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