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Talent Gore
THE Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has achieved maturity level 3 (ML 3) in the World Health Organisation’s classification of regulatory authorities for regulation of medicines and vaccines (non-producing).
Maturity Level 3 signifies a stable, well-functioning and integrated regulatory system, achieving that signifies that MCAZ has developed a stable, well-functioning, and integrated regulatory system, ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines and vaccines registered by the authority.
Zimbabwe now joins the ranks of only six African nations to have reached this significant milestone — Tanzania in 2018, Ghana in 2020, Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt in 2022.
MCAZ Director-General, Richard Rukwata, said the attainment of GBT ML 3 has been a strategic objective for them as a regulator, reflecting their dedication to safeguarding public health.
“This milestone demonstrates our capability to effectively regulate and monitor the safety, quality, and efficacy of medicines, vaccines, and medical devices in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“It assures the public and our partners that Zimbabwe’s regulatory framework meets international standards and I commend the MCAZ Board and all our staff for their relentless efforts and commitment in achieving this goal.”
Rukwata emphasised that MCAZ has a rich heritage of accolades in the medical products regulatory space starting with ISO 17025 Accreditation for the laboratory in the year 2010.
“Following that the MCAZ laboratory became one of the first labs on the African continent to be prequalified by the WHO in 2014, leading to MCAZ undertaking analysis of medicines for many other countries on the African continent including the DRC, Angola, Djibouti, Mali, Zambia, Nigeria, Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Congo Brazzaville, Botswana, Sudan and South Sudan amongst others,” he said.
“The above accolades demonstrate that MCAZ has a culture of excellence which has been in existence over a long period of time and this current achievement solidifies this culture by being another feather in the Authority’s cap and demonstration that MCAZ takes its mandate to protect public and animal health very seriously.
“MCAZ is particularly very proud of the fact that it achieved this milestone without external help and purely of its own limited resources.
“This further goes to show the Authority’s commitment to delivering on its mandate regardless of the obstacles it might face.”
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter
