MOROCCO MINISTRY OF HEALTH CONGRATULATES GHANA's FDA ON WHO-PREQUALIFIED QUALITY CONTROL LABORATORY STATUS

The Food and Drugs Authority's Drugs Laboratory at the Centre for Laboratory Services and Research (CLSR) has been awarded a World Health Organisation (WHO)-Prequalified Quality Control Laboratory (QCL) Status.

With this achievement, the FDA is now the only drugs regulatory agency within the ECOWAS sub-region to be recognized internationally as a competent institution that can test medicines and medical products under the auspices of the WHO, making Ghana's FDA a centre of excellence in West African.

Following this prestigious award to the FDA, the Moroccan Ministry of Health and Social Protection, and the Directorate of Medicines and Pharmacy, have extended their congratulations to the FDA's CLSR. In a letter dated 29th August, 2022, it noted that this achievement does not only attest to the expertise and success of the Food and Drugs Authority of Ghana but is an achievement that will strengthen the health systems both in the ECOWAS sub-region and the African continent as a whole.

The Head of the Moroccan Medicines and Pharmacy Directorate, Mr. Bouchra Meddah, shared his delight in seeing the CLSR become a reference in the sub-region. He indicated that opens the doors for further collaboration with the Moroccan National Laboratory for Medicines Control, which obtained a similar WHO prequalification status in 2009.

With this achievement, the FDA, can now fully participate in international tenders to analyze products that are to be procured by United Nations agencies. Certificates of Analysis for locally manufactured medicines shall receive international recognition thus boosting chances of permeation into the international market and aid the effective implementation of established trade protocols such as that of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Mr. Bouchra Meddah stressed that "this partnership between the two institutions and countries will help in strengthening health security through collaborative research, capacity building, and knowledge sharing especially relating to our countries' national vaccine manufacturing agenda".

The statement concluded that "a prosperous Africa can only be achieved through inclusive growth and sustainable development, thus, everyone must contribute to this cause".