Addis Ababa, 9 December 2024 – Africa CDC congratulates the Rwanda Food and Drug Regulatory Authority (Rwanda FDA) and the Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ARP) on achieving World Health Organization (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3).
This landmark achievement underscores Africa’s growing capacity to strengthen health systems through robust regulatory frameworks that ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, and other essential health products. It is a testament to the continent’s unwavering commitment to advancing health security and resilience, instilling pride and optimism for the future.
The attainment of ML3 by Rwanda FDA and Senegal ARP represents a significant leap forward in realizing the African Union and Africa CDC’s vision of local manufacturing of health commodities, including vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
With this accomplishment, the number of African NRAs achieving ML3 status has grown from just two in 2021 to eight today: Egypt, South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Senegal, and Rwanda. This remarkable progress highlights the importance of sustaining momentum.
“This achievement by Rwanda and Senegal marks a proud moment for Africa, showcasing the strength of our collective efforts to enhance health systems and ensure access to safe, high-quality health products,” said H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC. “Africa CDC remains committed to supporting other NRAs across the continent to achieve ML3 and beyond. We will continue to advocate for the WHO to assess more NRAs for ML3 recognition and to advance at least two NRAs to ML4 status by 2025—a long awaited milestone for Africa’s health sovereignty. Together, we will build resilient regulatory systems that enable local manufacturing and sustainable health solutions for our continent.”
Africa CDC reaffirms its commitment to empowering NRAs to achieve regulatory excellence, creating a strong foundation for Africa’s self-reliance. These advancements reinforce our shared mission to establish regulatory systems that protect the health and well-being of all Africans.
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About the Africa CDC
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a continental autonomous public health agency of the African Union that supports member states in efforts to strengthen health systems and improve surveillance, emergency response, and prevention and control of diseases.
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Media Contacts
Margaret Edwin | Director of Communication and Public Information | Africa CDC EdwinM@africacdc.org
