The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre for State Control of Drugs and Medical Devices of Cuba to foster collaboration between the two institutions in the areas of drug trade and capacity building.

The agreement, which was signed at the FDA Headquarters in Accra last Tuesday, will also ensure the production of quality medicines in both countries.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the FDA, Mrs Delese Darko, signed on behalf of the authority, while the Ambassador of Cuba to Ghana, Mr Pedro Luis Despaigne González, signed on behalf of the Cuban government.

Additionally, the Cuba delegation presented homeopathic drugs for the treatment of cancer and relevant documents to the FDA.

Ghana-Cuba relations

Mr González said Cuba was proud of its relationship with Ghana, which he said dated back to the 1950s, and gave an assurance that Cuba had the capacity to work closely with the FDA to ensure the production of efficacious products in Ghana.

He called for the strengthening of the bond between the two countries, adding that Cuba had researched into four COVID-19 vaccines, and that when approved, the Cuban government would not hesitate to share them with the rest of the world.

“This collaborating is not just for the two countries but for Africa, Latin America and other parts of the world,” he added.

Significance

Mrs Darko said the Cuban local industrial sector was more advanced, for which reason the MoU would afford the FDA the opportunity to learn from Cuba’s experience.

She added that the regulatory system was dynamic and that the agreement would also enable both countries to support each other in that sector.

“We will work with our sister body in Cuba in various regulatory functions where we can support each other for our mutual benefit,” she said.

She stressed the need to work towards building the capacity of experts in regulatory activities in the two countries to ensure the manufacture of quality products, including drugs.

Background

Ghana was the first country in Africa to establish relations with Cuba after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

Through its Medical Brigade programme, Cuba has been sending medical doctors to Ghana, who often accept posting to rural and unserved parts of the country to work.

In the field of education, many Ghanaians are benefitting from an agreement that allows Ghanaian students to go to Cuba to study Medicine and other science-related courses.