Monrovia – In a landmark gathering that brought together regulators and health experts from across Africa, the Liberia Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority (LMHRA) successfully hosted a two-day Stakeholders Conference on Pharmacovigilance and Clinical Trials Oversight in Emerging Regulatory Systems at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex.
By Patience M. Jones, contributing writer
The event, held under the theme “Medicine Safety Monitoring and Clinical Trials Oversight in Emerging Regulatory Systems,” attracted representatives from seven countries, including delegates from the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa, Africa CDC, the West African Health Organization (WAHO), and national regulatory agencies. A total of 17 delegates attended the conference.
Strengthening Regional Collaboration
Dr. Juwe D. Kercula, Manager of Clinical Trials and Pharmacovigilance at LMHRA and Chairman of the Conference Organizing Committee, described the gathering as a milestone for Liberia.
“The two days were very fruitful and interactive. We succeeded in bringing regulators together to discuss critical issues, and we achieved our goals. We look forward to working closely with Africa CDC, AVAREF, and other partners to strengthen our oversight in pharmacovigilance and clinical trials,” he said.
Dr. Kercula disclosed that the next phase of activities will include a joint pharmacovigilance practice inspection at one of Liberia’s marketing authorization holders, emphasizing the importance of adapting lessons learned from regional counterparts to improve regulatory oversight.
Commendations from Regional Leaders
Dr. Essa Marena, Executive Director of the Medicines Control Agency of The Gambia, hailed the conference as “one of the best organized” in the region.
“This has been a wonderful two days of knowledge-sharing and networking. Liberia has set a new standard, and we will take these lessons home to improve our own systems,” he stated.
Similarly, Dr. James P. Komeh, Registrar of the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone, applauded LMHRA for convening such an impactful platform.
“We have been challenged as regulators to sustain this momentum. Pharmacovigilance is still new in many of our countries, but through continued collaboration, we can strengthen medicine safety and clinical trials oversight,” Dr. Komeh noted.
A Platform for the Future
The conference not only strengthened collaboration among African regulatory bodies but also underscored the importance of sustainable support for pharmacovigilance systems. According to participants, such platforms will enhance capacity-building, improve regulatory oversight, and ensure that public health is safeguarded through stronger monitoring of medicines and clinical trials.
The successful hosting of the event marks Liberia’s first major international regulatory conference, setting a precedent for continued regional cooperation in medicine safety and clinical trial oversight.
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