Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met with Ali Al-Ghamrawy, Head of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), on Sunday to discuss the authority's ongoing efforts and its pursuit of accreditation from the World Health Organization (WHO) in the field of medicines. The meeting underscored the Egyptian government's commitment to the health and medicine sector, as highlighted by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's directives to prioritize citizen well-being and bolster the localization of the pharmaceutical industry. Madbouly emphasized the government's support for initiatives aimed at modernizing the EDA's operations and methodology. This focus on improvement comes as the authority strives to achieve WHO accreditation in medicines, following its successful attainment of the third maturity level for vaccines in March 2022. Al-Ghamrawy outlined the EDA's various initiatives undertaken to secure WHO accreditation in medicines. He elaborated on the potential benefits of achieving this recognition, including solidifying Egypt's leadership role within the Arab region and the African continent, and granting the country a voice in shaping the global pharmaceutical landscape. "WHO accreditation of the EDA would enable us to participate in setting international policies for the pharmaceutical sector," Dr. Al-Ghamrawy explained. "This would be achieved through active involvement in international and regional regulatory bodies." Furthermore, WHO accreditation would pave the way for the EDA to join the prestigious list of WHO reference health authorities. Additionally, it would unlock access to international support for development and technology transfer in the pharmaceutical sector. Importantly, accreditation would also attract and incentivize foreign investors, boosting global confidence in Egypt's regulatory system. "WHO accreditation signifies the robustness of the Egyptian pharmaceutical regulatory authority," Dr. Al-Ghamrawy said. "It confirms that we adhere to the highest international standards in regulating medical products." The EDA chief highlighted the accreditation's potential to expedite product registration in export markets. This, in turn, would facilitate the expansion of local pharmaceutical exports and open new doors for Egyptian-made medicines. Al-Ghamrawy concluded by expressing his confidence that WHO accreditation would lead to a significant increase in export volumes.
