Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
AFRICAN countries are stepping up efforts to harmonise clinical trial regulation and ethical oversight systems as growing investment in health research drives demand for faster, more efficient and transparent approval processes.
The push is under the spotlight in Zimbabwe, which is hosting a high-level regional meeting under the Trial Regulation and Clinical Ethics Optimization (TRACE) Project, bringing together regulators, researchers and policymakers from across the continent.
The initiative comes as Africa seeks to position itself as a competitive destination for clinical research while maintaining robust safeguards for research participants.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Aspect Maunganidze said strengthening collaboration among African countries is critical to building resilient and globally competitive research ecosystems.
“As research grows, our systems of ethics and regulation must also evolve alongside this development,” he said.
“We must ensure that regulation and ethical oversight remain robust enough to protect participants, but efficient enough to facilitate innovation and critical enough to maintain public trust.”
Dr Maunganidze said the future of health research on the continent depends on harmonisation and collective action.
“No single country can build a world-class research ecosystem. By working together, sharing experiences and aligning targets, we strengthen not only our individual institutions but the entire African research landscape,” he added.
The meeting comes amid rapid advances in medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and digital health technologies, which are creating new opportunities to address some of Africa’s most pressing health challenges.
Deputy Director of Africa Regulatory Systems at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr David Mukanga called for Africa to become a hub for health innovation capable of producing solutions tailored to the continent’s disease burden.
“As we move forward, let us think about how we can make Africa a place where innovation is developed and contributes to ending infectious diseases, reducing child and maternal deaths and addressing other areas such as oncology,” he said.
The TRACE Project is being implemented in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya and Nigeria to tackle fragmentation and inefficiencies in clinical trial regulation and ethics review systems.
Director General of the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, Mr Richard Rukwata said the programme is already producing measurable results.
“Since the inception of this project, Zimbabwe has made significant progress, including regulatory benchmarking, ethics committee training, development of a joint digital submission platform and improved clinical trial approval timelines,” he said.
“These efforts will make our countries more attractive destinations for clinical research investment.”
Stakeholders identified harmonised review procedures, accredited ethics committees, digital application systems and sustainable financing mechanisms as key priorities for the future.
Officials say the reforms will help accelerate access to new treatments, vaccines and health technologies while ensuring the highest standards of scientific integrity and participant protection.
The four-day meeting is expected to consolidate gains made under the TRACE Project and map out strategies for creating a more efficient, transparent and internationally competitive clinical research environment across Africa.
