24-08-2018, Entebbe (Uganda): After five days of informative presentations, active participation and intensive group works, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) today closed the training on Dossier Assessment of Priority Medicines for the purpose of a harmonised medicines registration in the IGAD region.

This training was conducted within the framework of the IGAD Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (MRH) Initiative that is also supported by the World Bank.

 Dr Fatuma Adan, Senior Regional program Coordinator at the IGAD Health and Social Development Division, appreciated the good quality of the presentations by the facilitators and the high level of engagement by the participating IGAD Member States’ Experts of National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs).

 As participants were given the opportunity to reflect on the training sessions overall,

 Dr. Maper Dut Ador Weak, Pharmacist and Senior Inspector in Inspection & Surveillance at the

South Sudan Drug & Food Control Authority (DFCA), expressed the desire and need for a follow-up training in order to deepen the knowledge gained. That would be very much justified for and would help countries with very limited mechanisms of medicines registration to set up or strengthen registration facilities.

 Dr Maper was joined by Dr. Yusuf Omar Mohamed, Chief Pharmacist and Head of NMRA-Somalia Ministry of Health and Human Services, who also pleaded for a community of practice among the participants that would allow information and knowledge sharing among member States and with the other stakeholders.

 Dr Abraham Gebregiorgis, Geneva-based Technical Officer of the WHO, duly took note of the calls and expressed WHO willingness to support further capacity building within the resource limitations to the IGAD Medicines Regulations Harmonisation initiative.

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