Swissmedic Annual Report 2018

11
Basis for development cooperation
The foundations for Swissmedic’s involvement in development
cooperation were laid in 2013, when the Federal
Council expanded the Agency’s service mandate to include
this activity. This paved the way for the signing of a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) between the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Federal Department of
Home Affairs (FDHA) and the Federal Department of Foreign
Affairs (FDFA) in January 2014. The aim of this MoU is
to improve regulatory procedures and systems in Sub-Saharan
countries so as to speed up access to high-quality,
life-saving medicinal products in these low-resource states.
“WHO needs help to help
the countries.”
Mike Ward, WHO
WHO and Swissmedic:
A partnership for better health
According to the WHO’s Constitution, the enjoyment of the
highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental
rights of every human being. Properly functioning
authorisation and control of medicinal products are essential
parts of a country’s healthcare system. Conversely, a
non-functioning regulatory framework is a barrier to access
to safe, effective, good-quality medicinal products and provides
plenty of scope for abuse and criminality. The WHO is
supporting its member states’ efforts to strengthen their
healthcare systems and has initiated the “regulatory system
strengthening” programme.
“The health of all peoples is
fundamental to the attainment
of peace and security and is
dependent upon the fullest
co-operation of individuals
and States.”
From the Constitution of the World Health Organization,
1946
The WHO’s request to Swissmedic concerning cooperation
came at an opportune moment, since there was strong demand
for support and training from foreign authorities.
Thanks to the new training programme, the Agency can
respond positively to requests and provide efficient support.
Representatives of the following authorities attended the
Swissmedic training course:
• Ethiopian Food, Medicine and Health Care Administration and
Control Authority (EFMHACA)
• Food and Drug Authority, Ghana
• Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB). Kenya
• Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA)
• National Drug Authority (NDA), Uganda
• Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
• Ministry of Health – Pharmaceutical Division, Israel
Swissmedic now intends to hold training courses in partnership
with the WHO twice a year. Eight authorities will be
invited to send three experts to each course. Six of these
authorities will be chosen by the WHO, two by Swissmedic
itself.
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the project, the
foreign authorities are required to submit an action plan to
the WHO, setting out how they intend to implement the
knowledge acquired by participants.