Joint co-operation between SA and Zimbabwe to enable efficient access to health products

By Agencies

The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) and Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) will co-operate in joint product reviews and inspections to enable efficient access to health products. This is after the pair signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

The memorandum of understanding between Sahpra and MCAZ is said to allow the regulators to develop a co-operative partnership towards ensuring access to safe, quality, and effective health products in the two countries.

Sahpra said this partnership would also focus on detection and curbing of substandard and falsified health products moving between the two countries, which has lately been a major challenge that both the regulators have identified.

Sahpra CEO, Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, said the forging of this partnership with MCAZ was key to enhancing and building capacity on the continent.

“The forging of partnerships such as this MoU with the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, a fellow African National Regulatory Authority, is key to further enhancing and building capacity on the continent,” said Dr Semete-Makokotlela.

“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 co-operation and collaboration between the two countries in the areas of medicines regulation, quality control, and pharma covigilance,” said MCAZ director-general, Richard Rukwata.