By Johannah Malogadihlare
The University of the Western Cape has teamed up with the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp, Belgium, to enhance medicine and vaccine safety in southern Africa.
The two institutions have introduced a new Centre of Excellence for Pharmacovigilance in Southern Africa (CEPSA), which marks a big step in making medicines safer and more accessible across the region.
The centre is funded by the European Commission’s Director General of International Partnerships (INTPA) in collaboration with the Director General of Research (RDT).
UWC said in a statement that the centre would aim to improve the way medicines and vaccines were developed, tested and monitored for safety.
“By focusing on safety, innovation and collaboration, ITM and UWC are helping to ensure that the people of southern Africa have access to the medicines and vaccines they need, produced locally and trusted by communities,” said UWC School of Public Health’s Dr Hazel Bradley.
The centre will also develop the skills and support for a new generation of pharmacovigilance experts, support operational research, and share clear and timely information.
Prof. Raffaella Ravinetto from the ITM said that through collaboration between governments, academia and pharmaceutical industry, the public could be better served.
“… we aim to improve public trust and ensure access to high-quality, locally produced health products. At the same time, we are strengthening regional partnerships to boost Africa’s vaccine and medicine production. This aligns with the EU’s MAV+ initiative, which focuses on manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa,” he said.
The university said the project demonstrated how local expertise could improve medicine safety in southern Africa.
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