Pharmaceuticals are critical components of health systems and are integral to achieving universal health coverage and equity. Challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance, the high burden of HIV and TB, as well as increasing chronic non-communicable diseases, have highlighted the need for innovative approaches to manage pharmaceuticals, including vaccines, and other medical products in Africa.

This has accentuated the demand for new skills and multidisciplinary approaches to ensure the availability, acceptability, affordability, quality and appropriate use of medical products.

In 2025 the School of Public Health at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa will offer Pharmaceutical Policy and Management as an online semester module from July-November 2025. This module may be taken as an individual stand-alone module or as part of the Master of Public Health. The Pharmaceutical Policy and Management Module will introduce participants to pharmaceutical policy and management issues within health systems. It will provide a foundation for pharmaceutical policy analysis, policy development and implementation skills at country and local levels. Selected areas include quality of medical products, pharmaceutical procurement and supply, human resources, and antimicrobials. This year we will have a special focus on pharmacovigilance and introduce participants to the newly established Centre of Excellence for Pharmacovigilance in Southern Africa (CEPSA). CEPSA is based at UWC and is a joint partnership between the School of Public Health and the School of Pharmacy at UWC, and the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp in Belgium.

Facilitators for the online module come from UWC Schools of Public Health and Pharmacy, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium, independent consultants and South African provincial and national health departments.

Past students have come from government, NGO and private sector settings from most South African provinces, countries across Africa and beyond. This provides opportunities for networking and collaboration.

We will also offer a WEBINAR SERIES that will complement the module – more details to follow!

Further details:

This online module may be taken as an individual stand-alone module or as part of the Master of Public Health. It runs over one semester (approx. 15 weeks) and comprises online materials, including webinars, with weekly activities, discussion forums and two written assignments. The module fulfils 15 credits (150 learning hours) at Masters-level. If you take the module as an individual stand-alone module and pass the assignments you will receive an official UWC transcript indicating your module credits.