Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) Chairperson Dr John Munyu has called for stronger collaboration among African regulators to improve access to safe, effective and affordable health products across the continent.
Munyu said African countries must translate discussions and partnerships forged during the 6th PharmaReg & MedDevReg AfriSummit 2026 into practical action that strengthens regulatory systems.
He said the success of the summit should ultimately be measured by the actions taken after the meeting rather than the number of presentations and discussions held.
“The true value of this Summit will ultimately be measured not by the number of presentations delivered or discussions held, but by what we do with the knowledge we have gained,” Munyu said.
He urged regulators, policymakers, manufacturers and development partners to sustain collaboration and share experiences as they work to build regulatory systems that are efficient, responsive and fit for the future.
“As regulators, policymakers, manufacturers and development partners, we may have different mandates and responsibilities, but our ultimate objective remains the same: to protect public health and ensure that the people of Africa have timely access to quality, safe, effective and affordable health products and technologies,” he said.
Munyu said the summit had provided an opportunity for participants from different regulatory jurisdictions to examine challenges facing the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors and explore practical approaches to strengthening regulation.
He encouraged participants to carry the conversations beyond the conference and turn shared aspirations into concrete actions and lasting partnerships.
The PPB chairperson echoed remarks by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who during the opening of the summit called for greater regulatory harmonisation, reliance on regulatory decisions by other authorities and increased support for local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Duale had also urged African countries to develop stronger markets for locally manufactured health products as the continent seeks to build a more resilient pharmaceutical sector.
Munyu said stronger cooperation would be critical in ensuring that regulatory systems can respond effectively to the evolving needs of African health systems.
The three-day summit brought together national regulatory authorities, regional and international organisations, development partners, industry leaders and other stakeholders to discuss pharmaceutical and medical device regulation.