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Published on 25 June, 2025 / Public Health

Fake medicines in Togo: MPs commit to better regulation

20250625-Seminaire

Lomé, Togo - The fight against substandard and falsified medical products (SFMP) in Togo has reached a new stage. On June 24 and 25, an information seminar organised at the Togolese National Assembly by the Togolese Ministry of Health and the Brazzaville Foundation brought together Togolese parliamentarians and experts from the Brazzaville Foundation around a common objective: to strengthen pharmaceutical regulation and protect public health.

Opening ceremony of the seminar with Minister of Health and Public Hygiene Tchin Darre (left), President of the National Assembly Sevon-Tépé Kodjo Adédzé (middle) and Chief Executive of the Brazzaville Foundation (right), © Togolese Republic.

The Minister of Health, Pr Tchin Darre, stressed the dangers posed by these products "which compromise universal health coverage and undermine confidence in the healthcare system".

 

Discussions explored ways of improving Togo's pharmaceutical system. Several concrete proposals emerged, including the implementation of an attractive remuneration policy for pharmaceutical staff, the use of the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) to evaluate regulatory functions, and the dematerialization of management processes.

 

"These products are not just illicit goods, they are veritable poisons. This situation is alarming for the health of our populations and a serious threat to our development", said Assembly President Kodjo Sevon Tépé Adedzé.

 

These reflections are part of a stated desire to strengthen the regulatory, operational and institutional framework, notably through the creation of the Agence Togolaise de Réglementation Pharmaceutique (ATRP).

 

In his speech, Foulo Basse, CEO of the Brazzaville Foundation, recalled the health emergency represented by the circulation of falsified medicines, and praised the commitment of the people's representatives. He underlined the central role of MPs in building lasting solutions through legislative initiatives and actions in the field.

 

An in-depth dialogue ensued between the parliamentarians and experts from the Brazzaville Foundation, addressing the many challenges to be met: effectiveness of the legislative framework, reliability of the supply chain, capacity of quality control laboratories, accessibility of medicines, and territorial inequalities in access to regulation.

 

With 70-90% of medicines consumed in Africa imported, the risk of counterfeit products infiltrating the market remains high. Hence the call from the CEO of the Brazzaville Foundation to boost local production and train future African researchers. To this end, a university chain project at the Sorbonne, for African pharmaceutical research, has even been announced.

 

Watch the interview of the Chief Executive of the Brazzaville Foundation on Togolese Television's 7pm news programme below.