We’re firmly in the new year now, so it’s time for each of us to take stock of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. That goes double for the African Medicines Agency.
As the new organization tasked with improving the regulatory harmonization of medicines across the continent, AMA is expected to play many roles, including ensuring the quality of both imported and locally manufactured drugs.
But first it needs to appoint a director general, which might happen in the first quarter of 2023. That key appointment is expected to kickstart AMA’s work. The African Union has initiated the process of recruitment, Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, the acting director of the Africa CDC, said in Kigali last month, and the post will be appointed by the AU Conference of State Parties of AMA upon recommendations of the governing board.
About the authors
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
Amruta Byatnalamrutabyatnal
Amruta Byatnal is a Senior Editor at Devex where she edits coverage on global development, humanitarian crises and international aid. She writes Devex CheckUp, a weekly newsletter on the latest developments in global health. Previously, she worked for News Deeply in the United States, and The Hindu in India. She is a graduate of Cornell University where she studied international development. She is currently based in New Delhi.
