AUDA-NEPAD Launches Working Group on Substandard, Falsified Medical Products

The African Union Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), through its African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation (AMRH) programme, has officially launched the African Working Group on Substandard and Falsified Medical Products (SFMP) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and unveiled the newly appointed leadership who will spearhead this critical initiative.

This marks a historic milestone in Africa’s commitment to safeguarding public health through the development and implementation of the first-ever Continental Plan to Combat Substandard and Falsified Medical Products as they continue to pose a serious threat to the health and safety of lives across the continent. In Africa alone, SFMPs are responsible for up to 267,000 deaths annually, particularly from malaria, pneumonia, and other treatable conditions.

“This Working Group represents a bold step forward in Africa’s collective health security. For too long, the threat of substandard and falsified medical products has undermined the integrity of our health systems. Today, we affirm our shared responsibility to build resilient regulatory frameworks that protect every African life because quality medical products are not optional, they are essential,” Chimwemwe Chamdimba, Head of the AMRH programme at AUDA-NEPAD.

A press statement by AUDA-NEPAD says the Continental Plan is the first of its kind in Africa and serves as a critical tool to operationalize the goals of Agenda 2063—Africa’s blueprint for inclusive growth and sustainable development. It also complements existing continental strategies such as the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa (PMPA), the Africa Health Strategy, and the African Medicines Agency (AMA) initiative.

The newly elected leadership of the working group to steer this vital continental initiative include Chair, Dr Bitrus Dasniyam Fraden (Nigeria); Vice Chair, Prof Neelaveni Padayachee (South Africa; Rapporteur: Dr Solim Aleka (Togo) and Dr Evans Sagwa (Kenya) Rapporteur. These leaders bring deep expertise in health regulation, pharmaceutical governance, and laboratory systems and are uniquely positioned to drive forward the vision of a healthier and prosperous Africa.

In his remarks, the newly elected Chair Dr Bitrus Dasniyam Fraden said:” I am deeply honored to serve this committee and the continent in leading our collective response to the threat of substandard and falsified medical products. This is not a fight for regulators alone, it requires all of us. He stressed the importance of Advocacy and strategic communication in our efforts, because every stakeholder has a vital role to play in safeguarding the health of our people.”

It would be recalled that in August 2024, during the Fifth Ordinary Session of the AU Specialized Technical Committee on Health, African Union Ministers of Health adopted the AU Declaration on the Fight Against SFMP, acknowledging the scale of the crisis and calling for urgent, coordinated action. AUDA-NEPAD was tasked with leading the development of a Continental Plan to Combat SFMP, integrating health, regulatory, law enforcement, and criminal justice approaches into a unified strategy.