By Simba Munyua
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – In a landmark move towards strengthening healthcare across the continent, the African Union (AU) has announced the appointment of Dr. Delese Mimi Darko as the first Director-General of the African Medicines Agency (AMA). This appointment marks a significant step in operationalizing the specialized agency, established by the AU Assembly on February 11, 2019, with the primary goal of improving access to quality, safe, and effective medical products for all Africans.
Dr. Darko, renowned for her exemplary leadership and regulatory expertise as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record to this critical new role. Her appointment signifies a bold leap forward in bolstering regulatory oversight, promoting access to essential medicines, and fostering pharmaceutical innovation throughout the African continent.
The AMA Treaty, adopted in 2019, positions the agency as a central force in achieving the AU’s Agenda 2063 goals. One of the agency’s core missions will be to support the growth of local pharmaceutical production, a key objective of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa (PMPA). Furthermore, the AMA is expected to play a pivotal role in catalyzing trade and supporting the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The establishment of the AMA is being hailed as a transformative milestone in Africa’s journey towards improved healthcare. It is anticipated that the agency will accelerate efforts to strengthen health regulatory systems, ensuring access to safe and quality-assured medical products for every African citizen.
Nardos Bekele-Thomas, the Chief Executive Officer of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), underscored the significance of this development, emphasizing that the AMA is not a solitary initiative but rather the culmination of over a decade of work spearheaded by the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative under AUDA-NEPAD.
“AMA’s success will be a collective one,” Bekele-Thomas stated, “and AUDA-NEPAD looks forward to continued collaboration towards a stronger, safer, and healthier Africa.”
With Dr. Darko at the helm, the AMA is poised to usher in a new era of pharmaceutical regulation and access to essential medicines across the African continent, paving the way for a healthier and more prosperous future for all.
