Medicines for Africa

01/04/2026

🌍 Across Africa and globally, medicines are one of the most powerful tools we have to save lives. But the growing and often invisible threat leads to medicines failing to treat, delaying recovery, or worse, causing harm.

➡️ Whether you are a pharmacist, nurse, clinician, supply chain officer, or community health worker, you are the last checkpoint before a medicine reaches a patient.

The medicines for africa (mfa) webinar series was created to shift the focus from systems and technology alone to the frontline professionals and communities at the last check-point before medicines reach patients.

💡 The series also integrates medicines for africa (mfa)'s pioneering Youth Ambassador & Fellowship Program (details to follow), that empowers young people to become community leaders as agents of change in medicine safety and patient protection across Africa.

These expert-led webinars are grounded in the real-world experiences of African communities to build locally relevant knowledge, practical skills, judgment, responsibility, and practical tools to actively reduce patient harm at every step in African communities.

This opening webinar on "Understanding the Problem of unsafe medicines"—which includes substandard, counterfeited, and unregistered products, examines the scope of the problem in the African context.

A seasoned leader and practitioner on the frontline of tackling the challenge in Nigeria Dr Martins Iluyomade Dr. FSI, the Head of Investigations and Enforcement at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) will provide participants provide a clearer understanding of the different categories of unsafe medicines and why recognizing them is the first step toward protecting patients and strengthening medicine safety systems.

The opening session, titled “The Hidden Crisis – Understanding Unsafe Medicines and Why They Matter,” will take place on:

When: Wednesday, 15 April 2026
Time: 18:00–19:30 CAT

🔗Register to participate: https://lnkd.in/dpaAgBnb

27/03/2026

The impact of counterfeited substandard medicines on Nigerian businesses is a significant one write Dr Martins Iluyomade Dr. FSI. A pharmacy owner stocks her shelves for the week. She buys what looks like genuine anti-malaria medication, well packaged, properly labeled, competitively priced. Customers come in. They trust her and buy.

Days later, the complaints begin:
“The drugs didn’t work.” “It got worse.” “Are you sure this is original?”
What she doesn’t know yet is this: She has just been pulled into a much larger system one that is quietly damaging her reputation, her business, and the health of her customers at the same time. This is how counterfeiting works. And this is why it is not just a public health issue; It is an economic one.

Read his Full Perspective:

How fake medicines and goods impact trust, investment, jobs, and public health, and what must be done to stop it.

27/03/2026

Health data is the foundation of biomedical research and pharmaceutical innovation. Large datasets enable clinical trials epidemiological modelling and the identification of drug targets. For African countries aspiring to build stronger research ecosystems and pharmaceutical industries retaining meaningful access to and control over their health data is critical.

If data generated within African health systems is routinely exported without structured oversight or capacity building local research institutions may remain dependent on external partners rather than becoming equal contributors and collaborators within global scientific discovery and development.

It is important for African countries to carefully negotiate terms to ensure that funding supports both their immediate health needs and the long term development of self sustaining ecosystems which also include local research and manufacturing development. Improvements in digital surveillance logistics infrastructure and supply chain management could indirectly benefit pharmaceutical distribution and regulatory oversight making African patients safer from harmful medications.

🔗 Read Utano Analysis: https://lnkd.in/d9kgtsR7

26/03/2026

This one certainly made us pause. I mean, how brazen can you get?

Some businesses seem to believe that placing a regulator’s logo on their product is a shortcut to credibility. That’s a bit like printing a driver’s license on your forehead and expecting to be waved through every roadblock driving anything, a tractor, a scooter or a moto. A regulator’s mark is not a design feature . It's a serious symbol of respect which reflects compliance, verification, and accountability. Nice try people… but credibility doesn’t come from a sticker of the very people regulating you. That only get's you into trouble especially when we are talking life saving medical products.

26/03/2026

Enforcement operation led by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Department Zimbabwe, highlights the critical role of regulatory vigilance in protecting both public and animal health.

By identifying and shutting down unlicensed Veterinary Medicines and General Dealers’ Stores (VMGDs), and removing unregistered and expired veterinary medicines from circulation, MCAZ is directly reducing the risk of ineffective treatment, drug resistance, and potential harm to livestock-dependent communities. These actions not only enforce compliance with the law but also reinforce trust in the integrity of the medicines supply chain.

If sustained, such interventions can have far-reaching long-term impacts. Consistent enforcement will deter illegal operations, strengthen adherence to regulatory standards, and promote a safer, more reliable market for veterinary products. Over time, this contributes to improved animal health outcomes, enhanced food safety, and greater economic stability for farmers and communities.

Ultimately, MCAZ’s continued commitment to surveillance and enforcement lays the foundation for a resilient health system—one where quality, safety, and accountability are firmly upheld for the benefit of all.

26/03/2026

After conducting an on-site inspection and thoroughly assessing the manufacturing practices, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority took the necessary step to recall the affected products. This action underscores a fundamental principle of regulation: whenever credible information indicates a potential compromise in the quality, safety, or efficacy of medical products, authorities will act swiftly and decisively to protect public health.

Such interventions reflect a system that is working as intended—responsive, vigilant, and grounded in safeguarding patients. Continued collaboration, transparency, and timely reporting will only strengthen this ecosystem, ensuring that safe, high-quality medical products remain accessible to all.

26/03/2026

Better safe than sorry. It's great to see regulators protecting the public by recalling products that are unsafe from pharmacy shelves. Have you bee impacted by this recall in some way?

26/03/2026

Clean-up operations like the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe's Harare CBD illegal product crackdown deliver immediate public health benefits by removing unsafe and unregulated medicines, cosmetics and medical foods from circulation, particularly high-risk drugs such as Isotretinoin and hazardous skin-lightening products.

By acting visibly and in coordination with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe reinforces its authority, deters illegal trade, and raises public awareness about the dangers of self-medication and counterfeit products. In the short term, this reduces exposure to serious health risks and protects consumers from exploitation.

While such operations alone cannot fully eliminate illegal markets—given persistent demand, affordability challenges, and social drivers—they represent a crucial step in the right direction. When sustained and paired with public education, improved access to safe medicines, and economic alternatives, they can drive meaningful, long-term change.

Ultimately, these efforts signal a growing commitment to safeguarding public health and building a safer, more accountable medicines landscape for all.

26/03/2026

The global conversation on patient safety is evolving but not fast enough. Patient safety does not start in a database. It starts with systems that work and people who trust them. A powerful new piece in Uppsala Reports brings this into sharp focus. In their article Dr Lubna Merchant ,Dr Alem Zekarias and Dr Saifuddin Ahmed highlight a critical reality.

1️⃣ Pharmacovigilance systems exist but they are often underutilized fragmented and uneven across regions. And the consequences are real.
2️⃣ Substandard and falsified medicines continue to circulate particularly in low and middle income countries where over 10% of medicines may be affected.

What makes this article particularly compelling is not just the diagnosis it’s the direction forward:

1️⃣ AI-powered monitoring of online pharmacies
2️⃣ Better data sharing across borders
3️⃣ Stronger frontline reporting systems
4️⃣ Public education to empower patients and communities

For those working across public health pharma and policy this is a moment to move from awareness → coordination → action.

🔗 Read the article: https://lnkd.in/dT9vbsia

25/03/2026

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has now issued a precautionary recall of specific batches of Citro-Soda Regular following the identification of a potential risk of foreign material contamination at the Adcock Ingram Clayville facility. This recall, effective 17 March 2026 and it applies only to the following selected batches of:
1️⃣ Citro‑Soda Regular 60 g
2️⃣ Citro‑Soda Regular 120 g
3️⃣ Citro‑Soda Regular 4 g x 30 sachets

SAHPRA is instructing retailers to stop selling the product and return affected stock. Those who have bought the product should return products to the nearest pharmacy, store, or health facility. Anyone who has used the product and experiences adverse effects is advised to seek medical attention and report incidents to SAHPRA.

For More information
🔗 Media statement: https://bit.ly/4dGRfXZ
🔗 List of affected batches: https://bit.ly/3PkaRr7