Senegal aims to strengthen its pharmaceutical sovereignty by locally producing half of the medicines needed by its population by 2050. This commitment, enshrined in the national transformation plan, was reaffirmed this Thursday, October 2, in Tivaouane, during the official launch of the regulatory platform dedicated to the health product supply chain, according to Le Soleil.

Currently, nearly 95% of medicines consumed in the country are imported. To reverse this trend, the authorities are relying on an industrial revival coordinated by the Project Management Unit, with the support of the Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ARP).

Doudou Sonko, coordinator of the ARP partnership unit, stressed that Senegal now has the regulatory and technical capacities to meet this challenge.

Established in 2022, the ARP is competent for all pharmaceutical and healthcare products. It has reached maturity level 3, recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), making it a reliable agency capable of overseeing the production and marketing of quality medicines.

Senegal thus becomes the first French-speaking country in Africa to reach this level, and the seventh on the continent. The goal now is to progress to level 4, following the example of European agencies.

According to Doudou Sonko, the legal framework is already in place to support this ambition. Twenty pharmaceutical products have been developed by local industries and will now be manufactured and distributed in Senegal. This progress is part of the National Health and Social Development Plan (2019-2028), which aims to ensure sustainable pharmaceutical autonomy.

The regulatory platform launched in Tivaouane, under the chairmanship of Prefect Mamadou Guèye, brings together several key stakeholders: administrative authorities, health officials, local authorities, community representatives, and supply organizations. Its mission will be to propose concrete solutions, mobilize funding, strengthen local skills, and prevent stockouts.

It will also play a crucial role in the fight against the illicit drug market, by facilitating the reporting of information on side effects and encouraging the reporting of fraudulent channels.