Ghana's Dr. Delese Mimi Darko makes history as First African Medicines Agency director-general

Africa's public health landscape entered a new era this week as Ghanaian pharmaceutical expert Dr. Delese Mimi Darko was appointed the inaugural Director-General of the African Medicines Agency (AMA). The landmark decision was announced during the Second Ordinary Session of the AMA Conference of State Parties in Rwanda's capital. 

The seasoned regulator, who previously transformed Ghana's Food and Drugs Authority into a globally respected institution, now assumes leadership of the continental body at a critical juncture. Established to harmonize medicine regulation across 55 nations, the AMA represents Africa's collective ambition to ensure drug safety, combat counterfeit medications, and accelerate access to vital treatments. 

Her selection follows a rigorous continental search that highlighted her exceptional work modernizing Ghana's regulatory systems and championing local vaccine production during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The newly confirmed Director-General faces a formidable agenda: establishing the AMA's operational structures, implementing continent-wide regulatory harmonization, and addressing Africa's heavy reliance on imported medicines which currently exceed 70% of pharmaceutical consumption. Her tenure begins as the continent works to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area's pharmaceutical manufacturing provisions. 

"Under Dr. Darko's leadership, we expect the AMA to become the cornerstone of Africa's health sovereignty," noted a senior official from the Africa Centres for Disease Control. The agency's creation fulfills aspirations first articulated in the 2009 African Union Special Summit on HIV/AIDS and reflected in subsequent treaties. 

With temporary headquarters in Kigali, the AMA will coordinate national regulatory bodies, facilitate medicine approvals, and build capacity across member states.

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye