On the Sidelines of the African Union Summit, Health Minister Mustapha Ferjani Multiplies Bilateral Meetings
The Minister of Health, Mustapha Ferjani, has held several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Senegal, with the aim of consolidating a pragmatic and results-oriented health cooperation for the benefit of the populations.
These exchanges allowed for the examination of several priority areas, including:
- The development of strategic partnerships in the pharmaceutical industry
- The strengthening of regulatory and control mechanisms for medicines
- The implementation of training programs for medical and paramedical staff
The Minister emphasized that bilateral meetings provide a privileged framework for coordinating common initiatives and collectively addressing health challenges. He stressed the need to build a strong African pharmaceutical system, capable of ensuring secure access to medicines and strengthening the continent's autonomy in this strategic sector.
In this perspective, discussions also focused on the exchange of expertise and the development of skills related to the pharmaceutical sector. Mustapha Ferjani recalled that pharmaceutical sovereignty is not limited to local production, but also relies on the establishment of a harmonized regulatory framework, rigorous control, and sustainable capacity building.
Furthermore, the Minister presented the Tunisian experience in the digital transformation of the healthcare system, highlighting the model of the "digital hospital". This approach could be adapted to the specific needs and requirements of each country, with a logic of modernizing services and improving the quality of care.
He also advocated for the adoption of the "One Health" approach, aiming to strengthen the preparedness and resilience of African health systems in the face of crises. In the same context, Mustapha Ferjani participated in the meeting on the establishment of the African Medicines Agency (AMA).
He reaffirmed the commitment of the member states to support the implementation of this continental agency, estimating that regulatory harmonization at the African level would facilitate access to safe and quality medicines, while consolidating the continent's pharmaceutical sovereignty.
The effective creation of the AMA is thus presented as a major lever for reforming African health systems and an essential pillar for sustainably improving the offer of services and health capacities at the continental level.
Read also: Tunisia: Mustapha Ferjani Advocates for Increased Funding for Health in Africa
