Mombasa, Kenya — 11 November 2025: Africa must strengthen collaboration in medical products regulation to boost local manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports, Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) Chairperson Dr John Munyu, says.

Delivering his welcome remarks at the Seventh Biennial Scientific Conference on Medical Products Regulation in Africa (SCoMRA VII) in Mombasa, Dr Munyu said this year’s theme — “Regulatory Harmonisation: Unlocking Africa’s Potential in Health Product Manufacturing and Trade” — is more than a discussion topic; it is a continental call to action.

“Africa imports over 90 percent of its medicines and produces less than one percent of its vaccines. This is not just a statistic; it reflects our dependence and vulnerability, which the COVID-19 pandemic painfully exposed,” he said.

Dr Munyu noted that recent health emergencies, including the 2024 Monkeypox outbreak declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security by the Africa CDC, revealed the urgent need for coordinated and responsive regulatory systems.

He said the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation (AMRH) programme has, over the past decade, laid the foundation for progress by aligning regulatory guidelines, introducing reliance mechanisms, and driving digital transformation across the continent. These gains, he added, have paved the way for the operationalisation of the African Medicines Agency (AMA), headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda.

Dr Munyu reaffirmed Kenya’s active role in regional and continental harmonisation efforts, highlighting the leadership positions held by PPB officers within various African regulatory forums. He also recognised the work of the SCoMRA VII Organising Committee, led by Ms Paulyne Wairimu, as evidence of Kenya’s commitment to the continental agenda.

Welcoming Dr Mimi Darko, the inaugural Director-General of AMA, Dr Munyu said the agency represents Africa’s shared vision of resilience and self-reliance in health.

“SCoMRA VII is not merely a conference; it is a strategic platform to make this vision real — to catalyse local manufacturing, support intra-African trade under AfCFTA, and ensure that quality, safe, and effective medical products reach every African,” he said.

The PPB Chair noted that discussions over the next three days will focus on strengthening regulatory oversight to attract manufacturing investment, advancing pooled procurement, harnessing innovation and artificial intelligence, and deepening partnerships between governments, industry, researchers, and civil society.

He thanked development partners including the World Health Organization (WHO), CEPI, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, German Cooperation (GIZ), and the Africa Public Health Foundation for their continued support in advancing Africa’s regulatory agenda.

“Our objectives are clear, our potential immense, and our collective resolve remains key to unlocking it,” Dr Munyu said, as he welcomed delegates to three days of high-level discussions in Mombasa.

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