The University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp (ITM) have joined forces to improve medicine and vaccine safety in Southern Africa. The two institutions have announced the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Pharmacovigilance in Southern Africa (CEPSA), which marks a big step in making medicines safer and more accessible across the region. The centre is supported by a grant from the European Commission’s Director General of International Partnerships (INTPA) in collaboration with the Director General of Research (RDT).

The centre, 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. This will improve access and ensure that medicines are safe for everyone.

The Centre of Excellence for Pharmacovigilance in Southern Africa will:

• Develop skills and leadership in medicine safety to empower local health professionals and support a new generation of pharmacovigilance experts;
• Support operational research in pharmacovigilance to help generate and share locally relevant knowledge that can improve healthcare practices and outcomes; and,
• Share clear and timely information about medicine and vaccine safety with the public and decision-makers.  

“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 focuses on manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa,” said Prof Raffaella Ravinetto from the ITM.

Dr Hazel Bradley from UWC’s School of Public Health explained that the centre is an example of how international partnerships can help 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.”

The CEPSA builds on over a decade of collaboration between ITM and UWC and draws from the success of the Strengthening Pharmacovigilance and Regulatory Capacities in Southern Africa (SPaRCS) project. It is funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2). The project demonstrated how local expertise could improve medicine safety in Southern Africa. Now, the 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.