Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices in Africa, Round Table Discussion

November 9, 2021November 11, 2021 Dan Kithome AfCFTA, COVID-19, International Cooperations, Newsletter, Press Release

Press Release

The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and its partners set to organize a high-level roundtable on the Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical products and Medical Devices in Africa on the 17^th November 2021.

The hybrid roundtable is aimed at discussing and providing update on the Harmonization project and will come off on the sidelines of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) taking place in Durban, South Africa from the 15^th to the 21^stof November 2021.

Nairobi – 11^th November 2021: The African Organization for Standardisation (ARSO) in partnership with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) announced the organization of a roundtable on the sidelines of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) on 17^th November 2021 at 10:35 – 1pm (South African Time).

The hybrid event will serve as a platform to provide updates on their common project called “Harmonization of Standards for Pharmaceutical products and Medical Devices in Africa”. The initiative which was launched under the umbrella of the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program (AATB) in 2020, aims at harmonizing African standards for pharmaceuticals and medical devices thereby enhancing intra-African trade and investment, reducing substandard counterfeit products, and building resilient regional health systems.

The roundtable shall be graced by Prof. Benedict Oramah, President Afreximbank; Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO ITFC; Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, BADEA Director General; Wamkele Mene, Secretary General AfCFTA; Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa; H.E. Albert M. Muchanga, Commissioner, African Union Commission; Dr. John N. Nkengasong, Africa Centre for Disease Control; Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, ARSO Secretary General and Dr Paulyne Wairimu,PPB, Kenya/AMDF and shall concurrently take place physically at the IATF 2021 Venue in Kwa Zulu Natal and virtually on Zoom.

To access the event, kindly log in here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrf-qgqTwqGtJ6NA-_bQAFM3zz-iZtYysp (Translation will be provided in English and French)

ARSO Pharmaceutical Standards Harmonisation Programme & the 14th October 2020 – ARSO Webinar on COVID-19 and Post COVID-19 Africa: Tapping the Positive Lessons

September 29, 2020September 29, 2020 Dan Kithome COVID-19, Latest News, Webinar

The ARSO Webinar for October 14th 2020 is focused on the COVID-19 and Post-COVID-19 Africa, based on positive lessons learnt, with a call for increased manufacturing and industrialisation and increased trade among African countries within the prism of the AU Agenda 2063 and its Flagship project the Africa Continental Fee Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. ARSO, with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), under a new Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program (AATB) initiative called the Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices in Africa, is focused on the harmonisation of standards for Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products for increased trade and availability in Africa.

The COVID-19 pandemic which brought the world to a halt, is considered as the most crucial global health calamity of the century and the greatest challenge that the humankind has faced since the 2nd World War, with the UN’s Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to the COVID 19 Crisis warning that “The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis as it is affecting societies and economies at their core. The World Trade Organization (WTO) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have indicated COVID-19 pandemic as the largest threat to global economy. Indeed, never in the living memory, in recent times, has humanity faced such a challenge in medical, social and economic spheres of life that threatens lives and livelihoods on the same scale. In its April 2020 report, the African Union has reported that “Indeed, the high dependency of African economies vis-à-vis foreign economies predicts a negative economic spinoff for the continent, evaluated at an average loss of 1.5 points on economic growth for 2020 and it is unlikely that the 3.4 percent (AfDB 2020) economic growth rate for the continent, forecast last year, will be achieved because of the COVID 19 crisis”. (AUC, 2020, https://africatimes.com/2020/04/06/new-au-report-zeroes-in-on-covid-19-economic-impacts/). The decline is due to the effects on the main economic sector of tourism, air travel, Exports (commodity and the associated tumble in commodity prices), with the decline in both exports and imports projected at 35%from the level reached in 2019 (AfDB 2020).

With this in mind, and on a positive note, due to the endemic reliance on imports and the breakdowns in supply chains associated with lockdown measures, for the African continent, COVID‑19 has strengthened the case for developing intra-African regional value chains and unlocking the continent’s business potential, while focusing on the African SMEs and Africa’s Industrialisation and Manufacturing. Like the food imports, COVID 19 has also magnified Africa’s reliance on imported pharmaceuticals (both final and intermediate products) and amplified the urgency to build competitive, resilient and robust value chains in this sector, including mainstreaming the African Traditional Medicine in the National Healthcare systems and pharmaceutical policies. Karisha Banga, et al. 2020, highlights that in 2018, 82.2% and 95.9% of Africa’s imports of food items, and medicinal and pharmaceutical products, respectively, originated from outside the continent. The Eminent Persons, led by the late H.E. Kofi Anan, former UN Secretary General, on their 2014 African Economic report, highlighted that Africa spends USD 35B in food imports and projected it to be USD 100 by 2030. There has already been a positive shift from global, to, towards more regional and local supply chains, with local Manufacturers and SMEs taking the lead to manufacture the required PPEs that comply with the recommended product standards. But the long-term economic benefits, according to UNCTAD, 2018c, will arise from unleashing the potential of regional value chains in the key sector, including Agro-processing, textile and leather and the pharmaceuticals (African Traditional Medicine), to foster manufacturing, trade, industrialisation and sustainable development, and when, according to UNECA (2020, “facilitating cross-border trade through a coordinated African response to COVID-19,) the African Governments adopt and harmonize trade policies (including standardisation (TBTs) to focus on Export oriented manufacturing of Made in Africa Products and boost intra-Africa trade (trade flows) among countries, with effective support from the African Quality Infrastructures (NSBs, PAQI (ARSO)).

It is in this regard that, ARSO has partnered with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) to launch a new Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program (AATB) initiative called the Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices in Africa, aimed at promoting the quality and safety of medicines and medical devices imported or produced on the continent. The initiative, to be implemented in a phased manner over three years, has begun with the harmonisation of standards for Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products (ARSO/TC 80), and Medical devices and equipment (ARSO/TC 78). The second phase will analyse and assess existing international, regional, and national standards for their suitability in meeting the unique challenges faced by African healthcare industries before achieving the 3^rd phase, which is the harmonization of the related African Standards and their adoption on the continent.

Commenting on the initiative, ITFC CEO, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol highlighted that “From a trade development standpoint, harmonizing the standards of pharmaceutical products and medical devices in Africa is a crucial first step in facilitating local production and trade within the sector and those standards will provide a necessary baseline from which to regulate the sector more effectively, raising the quality of locally produced life-saving drugs and related products”. Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’ s Managing Director of the Intra-African Trade Initiative praised the initiative, noting that“At a time when the demand for quality medicines and medical devices is increasing, Africa needs to reinforce regional value chains to scale-up the supply of quality medical products and build up the continent’s resilience against pandemics like COVID-19 in the future.” ARSO’s Secretary General, Dr Hermogene Nsengimana, noted that “While on one hand COVID-19 has created social distancing as a new norm, on another hand it has brought Africa together by opening our eyes to the need for industrialisation, pointing out that Standards circulated by ARSO and other standards organisations related to face masks, and hand sanitizers have been used widely by African SMEs to develop locally made personal protective equipment thereby shedding light on the role of standards in industrialization, safety, and trade, and the project, will not only help in increasing local production but will also create trust and enable cross border trade and investment for pharmaceutical products and medical devices.” (https://www.africanews.com/2020/09/14/afreximbank-and-international-islamic-trade-finance-corporation-itfc-partner-with-arso-to-facilitate-intra-african-trade-in-pharmaceuticals-and-medical-devices-under-the-umbrella-of-the-aatb-program/)

ARSO Webinar on Mitigating the COVID-19 Pandemic through the African Traditional Medicine

September 27, 2020September 27, 2020 Dan Kithome COVID-19, Newsletter, Webinar

Focusing on the African Pharmaceutical industry and the Role of Standardisation. Experiences and Challenges of ARSO Members and Strategies for Africa’s resilience and increased intra-African Trade in the post COVID 19

14^thOCTOBER 2020 – 1430 HRS – 1630 HRS EAST AFRICAN TIME.

CONCEPT NOTE

Moderator – ARSO – Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General, ARSO

Sub-Topics and Proposed Speakers:

“Scope and Standardisation needs for the African Traditional Medicine (ATM) and the role of the WHO Policy on Mainstreaming and recognition of the ATM into National Health Care systems – highlights for the Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products; and the Medical devices and equipment – ARSO Central Secretariat (Mr. Reuben Gisore).

Post COVID-19: repositioning Africa for self-reliance and resilience in the face of future Global pandemics: fast-tracking the development of “made in Africa” brands embedded in competitive regional value chains for Africa’s Key Sectors like Agro-processing and Pharmaceuticals: the AfCFTA Framework and opportunities and the role of Afreximbank – Afreximbank Official.

Reducing the Africa’s overreliance on imports and thinking Africa’s Industrialisation: positive lessons arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic with potential Home-Grown Solutions, the various Challenges, best practices, needs and opportunities. NEPAD Official

ii Experience and Challenges in the use of African Traditional Medicine – The Standardisation processes : Standards and Conformity Assessment activities : Policy and the Quality and Safety Issues – Case studies from ARSO members

Algeria
Ethiopia
Madagascar,
Nigeria.

Summary and Way Forward: ARSO – Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General.

Rationale for the Webinar and Background Information.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have indicated COVID-19 pandemic as the largest threat to global economy since the financial emergency of 2008–2009, as COVID-19 has severely demobilized the global economy. In its April 2020 report, the African Union has reported that “Indeed, the high dependency of African economies vis-à-vis foreign economies predicts a negative economic spinoff for the continent, evaluated at an average loss of 1.5 points on economic growth 2020 and t it is unlikely that the 3.4 percent economic growth rate for the continent, forecast last year by the African Development Bank, will be achieved because of the COVID 19 crisis”. (AUC, 2020, https://africatimes.com/2020/04/06/new-au-report-zeroes-in-on-covid-19-economic-impacts/).

In the midst of extraordinary challenges and uncertainties, leaders are under pressure to make decisions on managing the immediate and long term impact of the pandemic and its consequences, decisions that will shape the state of the world for years to come and what might be the silver linings in the crisis and how might leaders use this moment to build a more resilient, prosperous, equitable and sustainable world, is a subject of interest (World Economic Forum 2020). On a positive note, due to the endemic reliance on imports, and the breakdowns in supply chains associated with lockdown measures, for the African continent, COVID‑19 has strengthened the case for developing intra-African regional value chains and unlocking the continent’s business potential, while focusing on the African SMEs and Africa’s Industrialisation and Manufacturing. COVID 19 has also magnified Africa’s reliance on imported pharmaceuticals (both final and intermediate products) and amplified the urgency to build competitive, resilient and robust value chains in this sector, including mainstreaming the African Traditional Medicine in the National Healthcare systems and pharmaceutical policies. Karisha Banga, et al. 2020, highlights that in 2018, 82.2% and 95.9% of Africa’s imports of food items, and medicinal and pharmaceutical products, respectively, originated from outside the continent. Not only were many of the main providers of Africa’s pharmaceuticals heavily hit by COVID‑19 (with main sources of imports being the EU-27, India and Switzerland), but many have also limited exports of medical supplies and medicines associated with the pandemic, putting many African countries in perilous positions.

In the wake of countries’ struggles to procure essential medical products to fight COVID‑19, there has already been a positive shift from global, to, towards more regional and local supply chains (with local Manufacturers and SMEs taking the lead to manufacture the required PPEs that comply with the recommended product standards) and with policy re-orientation towards self-reliance and endogenous self-sustained development, within the broad industrialization agenda of Africa (accelerating structural transformation, manufacturing, regional value chains with commensurate positive effects on the made in Africa products and product diversification) and within the prism of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)., . (https://trade4devnews.enhancedif.org/en/op-ed/boosting-african-regional-value-chain-development-response-covid-19-catalysing-role-afcfta). But the long-term economic benefits, according to UNCTAD, 2018c, will arise from unleashing the potential of regional value chains in the key sector, including Agro-processing and the pharmaceuticals (African Traditional Medicine), to foster manufacturing, trade, industrialisation and sustainable development.

At the continental level, UNECA and AFREXIMBANK have also partnered to support the scaling up of manufacturing of COVID‑19 medical supplies that can be produced in Africa and sent across borders. This is expected to facilitate a regional approach to developing medical value chains based on comparative advantages and economies of scale. It will also help ensure that African countries without the capacity to produce these products can access them from within the region. A recent survey jointly carried out by the Africa Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) of UNECA and International Economics Consulting Ltd. (IEC) on the impact of COVID‑19 on business and trade across Africa substantiates the ability of African firms, with effective support from the African Quality Infrastructures (NSBs), to adapt and innovate in response to COVID‑19 challenges, including global supply chain disruptions.

Therefore, as countries all over the world are making a focused effort towards the re-opening of their economies with increased surge on the demand for safe and quality Personal Preventive Equipment, the role of standardisation is being tested and manifested at the same scale, to achieve the intricate balance of saving lives and livelihoods at the same time. Like their international counterparts (ISO, ASTML, AFNOR, CEN-CENELEC, SAC-China, SIS, INTERTEK, COTECNA) the African National Bureau of Standards and Certification Bodies are taking leadership role to offer, free of charge, the necessary standards and Conformity Assessment Services (see the link https://www.arso-oran.org/standards-for-covid-19/) for the local manufacturers/SMEs. At the continental level, ARSO has partnered with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) to launch a new Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program (AATB) initiative called the Harmonisation of Standards for Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices in Africa, aimed at promoting the quality and safety of medicines and medical devices imported or produced on the continent. The initiative, to be implemented in a phased manner over three years, has begun with the harmonisation of standards for Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products (ARSO/TC 80), and Medical devices and equipment (ARSO/TC 78). The second phase will analyse and assess existing international, regional, and national standards for their suitability in meeting the unique challenges faced by African healthcare industries before achieving the 3^rd phase, which is the harmonization of the related African Standards and their adoption on the continent. Participating ARSO members have nominated Experts to expedite the process.

Commenting on the initiative, ITFC CEO, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol highlighted that “From a trade development standpoint, harmonizing the standards of pharmaceutical products and medical devices in Africa is a crucial first step in facilitating local production and trade within the sector and those standards will provide a necessary baseline from which to regulate the sector more effectively, raising the quality of locally produced life-saving drugs and related products”. Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’ s Managing Director of the Intra-African Trade Initiative praised the initiative, noting that“At a time when the demand for quality medicines and medical devices is increasing, Africa needs to reinforce regional value chains to scale-up the supply of quality medical products and build up the continent’s resilience against pandemics like COVID-19 in the future.” ARSO’s Secretary General, Dr Hermogene Nsengimana, noted that “While on one hand COVID-19 has created social distancing as a new norm, on another hand it has brought Africa together by opening our eyes to the need for industrialisation, pointing out that Standards circulated by ARSO and other standards organisations related to face masks, and hand sanitizers have been used widely by African SMEs to develop locally made personal protective equipment thereby shedding light on the role of standards in industrialization, safety, and trade, and the project, will not only help in increasing local production but will also create trust and enable cross border trade and investment for pharmaceutical products and medical devices.” (https://www.africanews.com/2020/09/14/afreximbank-and-international-islamic-trade-finance-corporation-itfc-partner-with-arso-to-facilitate-intra-african-trade-in-pharmaceuticals-and-medical-devices-under-the-umbrella-of-the-aatb-program/).

The Webinar is also taking place when the International Standardisation Community is celebrating the 2020 World Standards Day on 14^th October 2020 under the theme “Protecting the planet with standards”. In their Message, the IEC, ISO and ITU Presidents have highlighted that “the International standards prepared by IEC, ISO and ITU are used to help reduce the environmental impact of industrial production and processes and impact greatly on Government Policies and Health care Systems”. ARSO takes note of the initiatives by ISO to make its 20 standards freely available globally, including in Africa, (https://www.iso.org/covid19), AFNOR for the freely available AFNOR Spec – Barrier masks. The Standardisation Community appreciates ITU’s initiative on the REG4COVID platform to serve as a repository of emergency actions that the digital community around the world is taking to ensure the continued availability, accessibility and resilience of networks and resources, including virtual standardisation activities.

In all these lies the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement that serves as the leading framework for boosting intra-African trade and fast-tracking the development of “made in Africa” brands embedded in competitive and robust regional value chains and ensuring that manufacturing, agro-processing and other activities across the continent are stimulated to supply the African Single Market’ and to position Africa, more strongly in the face of future global shocks and Pandemics.

The Webinar

Objective of the Webinar

The Main objective is to offer a platform for discussions on the COVID-19 pandemic, its effects on economies, the standardisation and conformity assessment systems being put in place by ARSO members, and more so the experiences of the ARSO members in the use of the Traditional medicine to offer herbal remedies to the citizens, while also focusing on building the Africa’s resilience in the post COVID-19, through increased industrialisation, manufacturing and establishment of regional value chains and intra-African trade.

Specific Objectives

Understanding the COVID-19 effect on African Economies and how countries are responding with respect to intervention measures.
Understanding the role of Standardisation and Conformity Assessment in the fight against the COVID-19.
Understanding the standardisation activities of the ARSO Member States on providing solutions to the COVID-19.
Understanding How the African Traditional Medicine is being applied among various ARSO member States to contain the COVID 19, and the various Challenges, best practices, needs and opportunities.

Identifying the positive lessons arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic with respect to Africa’s Industrialisation, Manufacturing and need for increased intra-African trade, with potential Home-Grown Solutions to support pandemic resilience for Africa.
Understanding the role of ARSO and its activities towards the mitigation of COVID-19 Pandemic, including standardisation and conformity Assessment activities, and the initiatives for the Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products and Medical devices and equipment.
Understanding the role of the International Community and the International Standards in the mitigation of COVID-19 Pandemic, highlighting the theme of the 2020 World Standards Day.

Outputs of Webinar

Presentations.
Discussions and comments on the COVID-19 Pandemic, the standardisation initiatives, the use African Traditional Medicine the policy gaps, African industrialization Agenda, the intra African trade.
Report of the webinar.

Outcomes of Webinar

Enhanced understanding of the COVID-19 effect on African Economies.
Improved understanding of the role of African Traditional Medicine in mitigation of the COVID-19 and how to address the challenges associated with Quality and safety as well as policy gaps.
Increased understanding of the need for Africa’s industrialisation, Manufacturing, Regional Value Chains and the Made in Africa products for Africa’s resilience and self-reliance, in the post COVID-19 and the need for necessary policies, as per the AfCFTA Agreement.
Better understanding of the role of Standardisation (Quality Infrastructure) in the fight against COVID -19, and the need for harmonised standards and Conformity Assessment Procedures.
Better Understanding of the need to promote Competitive Africa’s SMEs and made in Africa Products and the opportunities created under the AfCFTA.

Impact

Increased productivity and Trade in Made in African Products with established Regional Value Chains, including in the Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products and Medical devices and equipment, with increased Africa’s Industrialisation, manufacturing and Intra-African Trade.
Appreciation of the Role of African Traditional Medicine in the fight Against COVID-19 and strengthened efforts towards formulation of polices for mainstreaming ATM in the National Health Care systems.
Increased development, harmonisation and adoption of Standards and Conformity Assessment procedures for the management of the COVID-19 Pandemic, including putting in place policies for the post Covid-19 to help the continent handle such pandemics in future.
Increased awareness and accessibility of the existing international (ISO), Continental (ARSO), regional (RECs), and national (NSBs) standards in meeting the unique challenges faced by African healthcare industries
Strengthened Policies and Clear frameworks for activities that prioritize the production, trade and competiveness of Made in Africa Products, including the Pharmaceuticals and medicinal products and Medical devices and equipment’s.
Right policies for the competitiveness of the African SMEs for scaled up manufacturing of made in Africa products, under the key sector for Africa’s self-reliance and resilience, including COVID‑19 medical supplies and trade across the borders through established regional (medical) value chains based on comparative advantages and economies of scale
Increased partnerships and collaborations in the implementation of the standardisation activities that address Africa’s Industrialisation, manufacturing and Intra-African Trade, including the unique challenges of the African healthcare/Pharmaceutical industries.

Mode of Presentation

Speakers may prepare brief slides of no more than 5 minutes to guide the discussions. The presentations will be projected by the ARSO Secretariat. Speakers, therefore, are kindly requested to forward their presentations early enough. The webinar will focus more on discussions. Speakers are further requested to forward detailed notes to be used for reporting purposes. The Presentations will be shared with the Participants.

About ARSO – www.arso-oran.org

ARSO, the African Organisation for Standardisation, is an Intergovernmental Organisation formed by the African Union (formerly OAU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in 1977 to promote Standardisation activities (harmonisation of standards and Conformity Assessment procedures) in Africa to facilitate intra-African and Global trade.

Audience

ARSO Membership, Experts and Stakeholders.

Cover Image Courtesy of Google Pictures (Market_Pharmacy_Tana_MS5179)

COVID-19 Interventions – The Standardisation Solution: Webinar

June 22, 2020June 25, 2020 Dan Kithome COVID-19, Newsletter

ARE WE READY TO OPEN UP?

The COVID-19 Standards and Conformity Assessment Activities in ARSO Member States

The COVID-19 Standards and Conformity Assessment Activities in ARSO Member States

Date: 30th June 2020 at 1430HRS to 1630HRS East African Time

Register Here in Advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMsfu6orzouG9wEU_h1akW09K4yaypTpqdB

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

CONCEPT NOTE

Presiding Moderator: Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General, African Organization for Standardization

Speakers

The African Traditional Medicine Guideline and Policy Document: African Traditional Medicine Interventions and the African (ARSO) Standards on COVID-19 – ARSO Central Secretariat/ Reuben Gisore, Technical Director, ARSO
COVID-19 Standardisation Interventions – Sharing Experience in Personal Protective Equipment – Mr. Abderrahim TAIBI, Director of IMANOR – Morocco/IMANOR
What are you doing today to get ready for the new normal?” – Intertek’s PROTEK Programme- an end-to-end health, safety and wellbeing assurance programme – Millicent Njuguna –Mwangi, Lead Auditor/Head of Audit East Africa at Intertek
COVID-19 Standardisation Interventions – Sharing Experience in South Africa on How Standards Help in Opening Up of Schools – Dr Sadhvir Bissoon – Executive Standards – South Africa/SABS
COVID-19 Standardisation Interventions – Sharing Experience in Cameroon on How Standards help in the Work Place – Francis Zibi Zibi from Cameroon/ANOR
How to ensure the conformity of your PPE in COVID-19 times?” – Wesley AONDO, Head of Operations PVOC, COTECNA, Kenya.
Summary and Way Forward: Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General, ARSO.

Key Speakers – Bio Data for the COVID 19 Intervention – The Standards Solution (Are we ready to open up?)Download

Rationale for the Webinar and Background Information

With the Covid-19 pandemic, declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO, intensifying globally, including in Africa and in the face of such an alarming situation that is exacting a heavy toll on countries’ health-care services and threatening the World Economy, including Africa, African leaders, under the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the International Community, under the WHO are putting in place, both short and long term Public Health strategies to mitigate the pandemic, which has brought with it a paradigm shift and a re-orientation from the traditional ways of global life styles, leading to Travel bans, Social distancing, Use of Protective Personal Equipment, Lockdowns, culminating into New ways of doing old things with new things replacing the old- “the New Norm”.

The WHO’s Regional Office for Africa in hosting a virtual ‘hackathon’ bringing together 100 leading innovators to pioneer creative local solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic and to address critical gaps in the regional response, with proposals including the provision of Quality and Safe personal protective equipment (PPE). Already the African Traditional Medicine and Herbal solutions are being touted to provide solutions, for example the Madagascar Artamisia covid-organics and the Kenyan Zedupex, thus highlighting the importance of the Standards to mitigate the issues of efficacy, Safety, Quality & Quality Control, Processing and harvesting , Pharmacogivilane and Administrative issue.

The COVID-19 Standardisation Solutions

The COVID-19 Pandemic has offered yet a more concrete evidence of the enduring role of standards and the related quality infrastructure components (technical regulations, conformity assessment regimes (testing, certification, inspections), metrology, accreditation, market surveillance and quality assurance), in enhancing Government policy objectives, not only in trade of products and services, but also in Public Policy, human health, Safety and environmental management.

The standards and the related quality infrastructure organizations are in the frontline to ensure safe the production of quality and safe products, as there is increased and essential demand for safe and quality Personal Preventive Equipment (PPE) measures (face masks, sanitizers, safe water and soaps, medical gloves, clinical electrical thermometers, medical waste management and disposal), to counterbalance the the counterfeits. Across the Globe, the Standardisation Community are offering free of Charge standards and conformity Assessment for the manufacturing of Safe and Quality PPEs, as the COVID-19 Pandemic evolves rapidly and uncertainly. Like their international counterparts (ISO, ASTML, AFNOR, CEN-CENELEC, SAC-China, SIS, INTERTEK, COTECNA) the National Bureau of Standards and Certification Bodies have taken leadership role to offer, free of charge, the necessary standards and guidelines for the manufacture, testing and certification of the PPEs. Many ARSO members (Cameroon/ANOR –12 standards; Kenya/KEBS – 14 Standards; Morocco/IMANOR- 3 Standards and Various Conformity Assessment Activities; South Africa/SABS – 24 standards; Uganda/UNBS – 8 Standards; Tanzania/TBS – 4 Standards; Malawi/MBS – 4 standards; Egypt/EOS 27 Standards) have submitted to the Central Secretariat their published standards on COVID -19 interventions, and available at https://www.arso-oran.org/standards-for-covid-19/. Like in many ARSO member States which are running COVID-19 based Conformity Assessment Programmes, the Intertek in particular runs a PROTEK Programme which is an end-to-end health, safety and wellbeing assurance programme for people, workplaces and public spaces, offering audits, training, inspection, verification and certification solutions.

With about 27 African Standards in different stagers (9 ARS, 4 FDARS, 4CD, 13 WD), including ARSO FDARS 1470: 2019 Hand Sanitizers (alcohol based) – Specification, ARSO has expedited the Standards approval for medical and pharmaceutical products, and urged the African NSBs to make medical standards freely available and create customs ‘Green Lanes’ for super-fast clearance of medical supplies to help mitigate the virus and ensure people have access to the safe, essential products they rely on. In consideration of the role of African Traditional Medicine in stopping the COVID-19, ARSO has published the African Traditional Medicine Policy Document to guide the Development and implementation of ATM Standards for COVID-19 and for handling such pandemics in future.

The COVID-19, therefore, provides an opportunity for standards comparison and harmonisation, which is also correspondingly growing, with a need for new collaborative initiatives and rapid implementation of the necessary interventions in a timely manner and at the appropriate scale slow down save lives and live hoods, while minimizing economic, public and social impacts. The call therefore for effective Quality Infrastructure at the national, regional and Continental levels (with effective Quality Policies) in Africa as per the directives already laid out in various Continental and International policies, including the Abuja Treaty, The Lagos Plan of Action and currently, the AfCFTA Protocol (TBT Annex 6 and SPS Annex 7), as well as the WTO TBT/SPS Agreements, is underlined to strengthen Africa’s resilience and capacity, to deal with such pandemics in future.