World Health Assembly: meeting of ministers and partners of the Lomé Initiative

Discussions provided an opportunity to review progress in the fight against substandard and falsified medical products (SFMP) since the previous meeting, held in Geneva in December 2022, and to reaffirm the declared willingness of new countries wishing to join the Lomé Initiative, such as Guinea Conakry, present at the event, and Nigeria.

Prof. Mijiyawa announced the launch of a pilot project in Togo aimed at drawing up a national plan to combat SFMP, an exercise that will be modeled in countries wishing to follow suit. A moving presentation was given by Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, Gambia's Minister of Health, on the tragedy that befell his country in October 2022, resulting in the deaths of almost 70 children, probably linked to adulterated cough syrups from India.

All participants confirmed the need to strengthen collaboration between countries to prevent such tragedies from happening again. Participants were Dr Mamadou Péthé Diallo, Minister of Health of Guinea; Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, Minister of Health of the Gambia; Dr Michel Sidibé, AU Special Envoy for the Establishment of WADA; H.E.M Yackoley Johnson, Ambassador of the Republic of Togo, Head of the Mission to the United Nations in Geneva; the Delegation of the Republic of Congo, led by H.E.Clovis Guillon, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Congo in Geneva; H.E.M Laouali Labo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Niger in Geneva; H.E.M Artur Silva, Ambassador of Guinea Bissau to Portugal; Mr. Alexis Munungi Leki, First Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Geneva; Dr. Karim Bendhaou, President of the Africa Executive Board at Merck; Mr. Rutendo Kuwana, Team Leader, Incidents and Substandard/Falsified Medical Products at WHO; Mr. Greg Perry, Deputy DG of IFPMA; Ms. Andrea Vassalotti, Director of Partnerships and Programs at the World Heart Federation, member of the Fight the Fakes Alliance and Professor Dêlidji Eric Degila, International Relations Specialist in Geneva.