Friday 18 Oct
The Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), led by Dr. Ali El Ghamrawy, has hosted a high-level delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO). Headed by Dr. Naema Abed, WHO's representative in Egypt, the delegation visited for three days from September 29th to October 1st.
The visit aims to assess the EDA's progress in regulatory
procedures for medical products, review the authority's development plan and
evaluate the authorities’ regulatory system according to the Global
Benchmarking Tool (GBT). Additionally, they worked with the EDA to map out
future plans and set a date for a final accreditation visit.
In his opening remarks, Dr. El Ghamrawy highlighted the EDA's
ongoing efforts to modernize Egypt's pharmaceutical sector in alignment with
the country's Vision 2030. He emphasized the importance of securing
international accreditations, including WHO accreditation, to boost the
competitiveness of Egyptian pharmaceutical products and expand export markets
both regionally and globally.
He expressed his appreciation for the continued support provided by the WHO, particularly during recent meetings attended by senior government officials. He also praised the organization's effective contributions to strengthening drug regulatory systems in Egypt, which have led to significant improvements in the control of the local drug market.
Dr. Rogerio Gaspar, WHO Director of Regulation and Pre-qualification,
highlighted Egypt's significant role in shaping regional and international
health policies. He emphasized that Egypt's pharmaceutical advancements have a
positive impact on the global community. Dr. Gaspar commended the Egyptian Drug
Authority's efforts to adopt the highest global standards, as measured by the
WHO's Global Benchmarking Tool for Regulatory Authorities.
The significance of the WHO's high-level delegation, which
included representatives from international, regional, and Egyptian regulatory
levels, underscores Egypt's prominent position in global health matters. The
visit reflects the WHO's recognition of Egypt's leadership in drug regulation
and its potential to serve as a model for other African countries.
This visit highlights the importance of Egypt's regulatory system and its expected role in transferring drug regulatory expertise to other African nations.
