The working group on Medicines organized a one-day Seminar on access to quality-assured medicines – debating issues related to the access and quality assurance of medicines in low- and middle-income countries.The timing of the seminar is chosen to “celebrate” the ten years commitment (via the Be-cause Health Charter on Quality of Medicines) of Belgian stakeholders to assure the quality of medicines supplied through humanitarian and cooperation programs. We hope that the seminar has contributed to building the road map for the next 10 years, to face the remaining obstacles that prevent to achieve universal access to quality-assured medicines and other medical products.
Minister De Croo opened the event, which hosted Prof. Hans Hogerzeil as key note speaker, and international guest speakers bringing experiences of Global Fund, UNDP, DEVCO, and African and Belgian stakeholders engaged for access to quality-assured medicines.
Background information:
- Final programme (Pdf)
- JPPP article Belgian commitment to pharmaceutical quality
- Belgian commitment to Quality Assurance for Pharmaceutical Products: English – Dutch/French
- Oxford – MQPH – Brief statement
Opening of Minister De Croo
Presentations:
Keynote presentation by Prof. Hans Hogerzeil: Assuring the quality and safety of essential medicines
Video
Looking back (2008-2018): Ten years of engagement for access to quality-assured medicines: achievements and open challenges
- Feedback on the 10-years evaluation performed ad-hoc, Kashi Carasso (HERA): Survey amongst Belgian stakeholders: Quality of Medicines in LMICs
- Experience of Belgian NGOs:
- Xavier De Bethune (Médecins du Monde Belgique): Medicines From (almost) anywhere to (mainly) Africa
- Tine Demeulenaere (Damian Foundation): Presentation Damian Foundation
- Tahina Andrianjafy (SALAMA, Madagascar): Experience of African procurement centres
- Barira Dan Nouhou (Medicines Regulatory Authority, Niger): Experience of an African regulator
- Temmy Sunyoto (ITM): Access to quality-assured medicines for neglected tropical diseases
Looking forward (2019-2028):
The role of national and international donors in assuring quality of medicines in humanitarian and development programs: (how) can we harmonize the audits’ practices and the purchase policies?
- Manuel Couffignal, DEVCO: The role of donors in assuring quality of medicines: (how) can we harmonize the audits’ practices and the purchase policies?
- Alain Prat, Global Fund: Presentation The Global Fund
- Cathérine Dujardin, DGD: The Belgian commitment to pharmaceutical quality: a “best practice” to assure the quality of medicines available through humanitarian and development programs
- Jan Artur Sienczewski, ECHO: Harmonising practices in humanitarian assistance
- Jean-Michel Caudron, UNDP: Presentation UNDP
- Daniel Forrister, USAID/OFDA
The role of Belgian stakeholders for strengthening pharmaceutical quality assurance capacities in low-income countries
- Cathérine Dujardin, DGD
- Karel Gyselinck, ENABEL
- Raffaëlla Ravinetto, ITM: The role of Belgian stakeholders for strengthening pharmaceutical quality assurance capacities in low-income countries
- Pascal Mertens, Coris BioConcept: Rapid diagnostics from Belgium
- Björn Van den Sande, Sandoz BeLux
- Ariadna Nebot Giralt, QUAMED
