Dr. Ali El-Ghamrawy, Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), received a high-level delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO) led by Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, Assistant Director-General For Access to Medicines and Health Products. The visit comes within the framework of joint cooperation and WHO's efforts to support Egypt's drug regulatory systems.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Ali El-Ghamrawy expressed his pride and appreciation for the cooperation with the WHO, affirming that the authority is always striving to develop its performance in line with international standards, with a focus on achieving drug security for Egypt and the region. For her part, Dr. Yukiko Nakatani commended the great efforts exerted by the EDA, affirming the WHO's continuous support to enhance the authority's position and its leading role in the region, supporting environmental and health goals.
During the meeting, discussions focused on ways to enhance cooperation in various fields and the support provided by the WHO to the authority's efforts to achieve the WLA level (WHO Listed Authority), which represents an advanced step towards leadership in regulating the pharmaceutical industry and enhancing regional capacities in regulatory and legislative fields. In addition to enhancing Egypt's role as a regional platform for health cooperation and achieving sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry by reducing the environmental impact of these industries.
She also pointed to the prominent role of Egypt and its importance to the organization, specifically for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and its connection between the pharmaceutical markets in Africa and Asia in light of the organization's approval of the third maturity level for the Egyptian Drug Authority.
The WHO delegation, as part of the visit, toured the EDA laboratories, where they learned about the latest devices, analysis systems, and various work methods at the authority, which include a diversity of regulatory services provided by the authority. The delegation also made another field visit to the Biogeneric factory; during which they witnessed the latest technologies used in the manufacture of drugs and vaccines, and received a detailed presentation on the progress made in the mRNA vaccine manufacturing project, which Egypt previously obtained as part of its leadership in the African continent, which represents a qualitative leap in the field of pharmaceutical innovation and reflects Egypt's creative capabilities at the regional and international levels.
The meeting was attended on behalf of the Egyptian Drug Authority by Dr. Tamer El-Hosseiny, Vice Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority, Dr. Rasha Ziada, Egyptian Drug Authority Chairman's Assistant for Technical Development and Capability Building Affairs, Dr. Yasin Ragaey, Assistant Chairman Of the Egyptian Drug Authority, Dr. Amany Gawdat, Associate to the EDA Chairman and Supervisor of the Central Administration of the Chairman Office, Dr. Miriam Bolis, Head of the Central Administration of Medical Devices, Dr. Sherine Abdel Gawad, Head of the Central Administration of Pharmaceutical Care, Dr. Osama Hatem, Associate to the EDA Chairman for Policy and International Cooperation and Supervisor of the Central Administration of Pharmaceutical Policies and Market Access, Dr. Amira Mahgoub, Head of the Central Administration of Operations, Dr. Wedian Younes, Head of the Central Administration of Drug Control, and Dr. Dalia Abu Hussein, Director General of Quality and Member of the African Medicines Coordination Committee, in addition to a number of officials from the authority.
On the part of the World Health Organization, Dr. Huda Langer, Eastern Mediterranean Regional Advisor for Access to Medicines and Health Technology, Dr. Adi Nasrat, Technical Officer for Access to Medicines and Pharmaceuticals, Regional Office, Dr. Jaser Jad Al-Karim, Health Systems Coordinator at the WHO Office in the Arab Republic of Egypt, and Dr. Mona Maarouf, Medical and Pharmaceutical Products Officer at the WHO Office in the Arab Republic of Egypt attended.
This comes within the framework of close cooperation between the Egyptian Drug Authority and the World Health Organization in the field of enhancing the quality of the pharmaceutical industry and ensuring regional and international health security, contributing to the sustainable development of the health sector.