The University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium, are happy to announce the establishment ofthe Centre of Excellence for Pharmacovigilance in Southern Africa (CEPSA). The Centre will focus on improving the safety of medicines and vaccines. Supported by a recent grant from the European Commission’s DG International Partnerships (in close collaboration with DG Research), this initiative marks a big step forward in making medicines safer and more accessible across the region.
The Centre of Excellence, jointly led by ITM and UWC, aims to improve the way medicines and vaccines are developed, tested, and monitored for safety. By creating a supportive environment for research, regulation, and manufacturing, the Centre will help Southern Africa increase its capacity to produce vaccines and medicines locally.
How CEPSA will make impact:
Training experts: Developing skills and leadership in medicine safety to empower local health professionals and support a new generation of pharmacovigilance experts.
Researching safety: By supporting operational research in pharmacovigilance, the Centre will help generate and share locally relevant knowledge that can improve healthcare practices and outcomes.
Better communication: Sharing clear and timely information with the public and decision-makers about medicine and vaccine safety.
“By fostering collaboration between governments, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry, we aim to improve public trust and ensure access to high-quality, locally produced health products. At the same time, we are strengthening regional partnerships to boost Africa’s vaccine and medicine production. This aligns with the EU’s MAV+ initiative, which promotes manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa,” said Professor Raffaella Ravinetto from ITM.
Improving lives through safer medicines
“This centre is a powerful example of how international partnerships can solve global health challenges. By focusing on safety, innovation, and collaboration, ITM and UWC are helping to ensure that the people of Southern Africa have access to the medicines and vaccines they need, produced locally and trusted by communities,” said Dr Hazel Bradley from UWC School of Public Health.
Led by a strong partnership
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CEPSA builds on over a decade of collaboration between ITM and UWC. It also draws from the success of the Strengthening Pharmacovigilance and Regulatory Capacities in Southern Africa (SPaRCS) project. Funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2), SPaRCS demonstrated how local expertise could improve medicine safety in Southern Africa. Now, CEPSA will take this mission further, positioning South Africa as a leader in safeguarding the health of its citizens and supporting local pharmaceutical innovation.
UWC’s team includes Dr Hazel Bradley, Prof Renier Coetzee, Prof Michelle Viljoen, and Prof Star Khoza. ITM’s team is led by Prof Raffaella Ravinetto and Dr Carine Dochez, alongside pharmacovigilance experts.
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