By Chioma Obinna

LAGOS—THE West African Health Organisation, WAHO,  yesterday, called  for regional collaboration among the 15 countries medicines regulatory agencies in West Africa with a view  to strengthening drug regulations and access to quality medicines.

The WAHO Director of Public Health, Dr Carlos Brito said this during  the opening ceremony of a Technical Workshop preparatory to the Steering Committee meeting of the West African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation, WA-MRH, Project in Lagos.

Dr. Brito said: “WAHO and ECOWAS have a very strong mechanism of solidarity that can be used. We consider integration better for us to achieve health for all in our region. Our countries are not on the same level of development and very often, it is very necessary to help countries to strengthen programme, to strengthen capacity in our 15 countries.

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“We are committed to the work of integration where all our countries utilise what is better done in one country to the interest of the entire region.”

Corroborating his views, the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Christianah   Adeyeye stressed the need for regional collaboration among regulatory agencies adding that the goal of collaboration was to ensure that the people have quality medicines as well as reduce substandard medicines.

She said: “If a regulatory agency that is my neighbour is weak then, am going to be weak because we will have falsify medicines coming through such a neighbouring country.

“NAFDAC is getting funding from WAHO and deriving other benefits.”