Strengthening Pharmacovigilance and Regulatory Capacities in four Southern African countries (SPaRCS)
SPaRCS is a 3-year project which commenced in April 2020 funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP)
Project Duration:
1 April 2020 to 30 March 2023
Project Summary
Strengthening pharmacovigilance and regulatory capacities in four Southern African countries (SPaRCS) is a 3-year project which commenced in April 2020, funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) (under grant number CSA2018ERC-2332). The project is led lead by the University of the Western Cape – Dr Hazel Bradley, School of Public Health, and Prof Michelle Viljoen and Prof Star Khoza of the School of Pharmacy, in collaboration with partners from Ministries of Health and National Regulatory Authorities from four countries – Ms Anna Shimbulu, MoHSS, Namibia; Ms Nomsa Shongwe, MOH, Eswatini; Dr Mukesh Dheda, NDOH, South Africa; and Mr Liberty Chirinda, MCAZ, Zimbabwe. Dr Rafaella Ravinetto of the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp is involved in the project in an advisory role.
The aim of SPaRCS is to strengthen pharmacovigilance (PV) systems and clinical trials oversight of National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) in Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe. The project uses a participatory action learning, and co-creation approach to develop personal and institutional capacities of the NRAs in the four countries. Key activities include: a mapping and review of PV systems across the four countries, learning exchanges and thematic workshops on topics including approaches to strengthen adverse drug reaction reporting, and analysis, clinical trials oversight and the development of capacity building initiatives for health workers.
During the first year the project used desktop and literature reviews, country questionnaires and virtual participatory workshops to map the PV systems in the four countries and identify areas of strength and innovation, as well as, gaps and opportunities for learning. Building on the outcomes of the first workshop, two further virtual participatory workshops were held to discuss options for mutual learning activities and capacity building initiatives which will be taken forward in years two and three.
Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, the participatory virtual workshops facilitated shared learning amongst partners and established a community of practice at a time when travel and face-to-face engagement was limited. Connections with a wider group of like-minded colleagues have commenced through attendance at other EDCTP Project events and with professional organisations specialising in pharmacovigilance, such as the International Society of Pharmacovigilance (ISOP). We hope to maximise of the increased interest in pharmacovigilance among health workers and the lay public as we move into the next two years of the project.
SPaRCS Project Steering Committee
Project Co-ordinator; WP 1 lead; WP 2 co-lead
Organization: University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Dr Hazel Bradley, is a registered pharmacist with more than 10 years’ experience in Pharmaceutical public health. She leads a new area of specialisation within the MPH in Pharmaceutical Public Health and was instrumental in the development of short courses (including in online mode) focusing on Rational Medicines Use, and Medicines Supply Management and Pharmaceutical Policy and Management. She has a number of international collaborations including with the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp and Boston University; and with the East African Regional Centre of Excellence in Health Supply Chain Management, and other partnerships in Sub-Saharan Africa which link academia and supply chain practice.
WP 4 co-lead
Organization: University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Prof Michelle Viljoen is a registered pharmacist with a PhD in Pharmacology. She has more than eight years of expertise and experience in the field of medicine regulatory affairs in southern Africa as well as experience of regulatory dossiers within the European Community. She currently teaches Pharmacovigilance to 4th year pharmacy students and to postgraduate students in the Master of Science in Pharmacy Administration and Policy Regulation program; and has publications in the field of adverse drug reporting.
WP 3 co-lead
Organization: University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Star Khoza is an associate professor of pharmacology with more than ten years of experience in the regulation of medicines. His research interests are in diabetes, respiratory disorders, and pharmacovigilance. In pharmacovigilance, his previous research has focussed on the assessment of adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting systems, attitudes of healthcare practitioners on the reporting of ADRs, and drug safety studies.
Mr Liberty Chirinda
WP 3 co-lead
Organization: Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
Mr Chirinda is a Senior Regulatory Officer with the Pharmacovigilance and Clinical Trials Division at the MCAZ, and has served for seven years with the MCAZ. He comes with hands on experience in the policy and practice of pharmacovigilance as outlined in the projects he has been involved in.
Ms Anna Shimbulu
WP 3 co-lead
Organization: Ministry of Health and Social Services , Namibia
Ms Shimbulu obtained her Bachelors of Pharmacy at Rhodes University (SA) and an MSc in Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Aberdeen (UK). She is currently finalising her research for a Masters of Pharmacy at the University of Namibia. She has over five years experience in pharmacovigilance and currently heads the Therapeutics Information and Pharmacovigilance Centre. She is involved in medicine safety surveillance training initiatives, essential medicines list committee and treatment guideline reviews.
Ms Nomsa Shongwe
WP 2 co-lead
Organization: Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Eswatini.
Ms Shongwe has 17 years experience in the pharmaceutical services. She is a registered pharmacist in Eswatini. She is a Principal Pharmacist.
Qualifications : BSc Biochem, MSc Pharmacy, PhD Pharmacy student
Dr Mukesh Dheda
WP 4 co-lead
Organization: National Department of Health – National Pharmacovigilance Centre, South Africa
Dr. Mukesh Dheda is the Director of the Pharmacovigilance Centre for Public Health Programmes based at the National Department of Health. He obtained a B Pharm from the University of Durban Westville, an M Pharm from the University of Potchefstroom and a PhD from the University of KwaZulu Natal. He has been instrumental in understanding pharmacovigilance (PV) in South Africa. He is involved in a number of policy, research and training initiatives which have grappled with the challenge of improving PV in South Africa. He has worked in the area of PV, both regulatory and public health PV, since the early 2000s. In his ongoing tenure as a registered pharmacist for almost forty years, Dr. Dheda has trained many pharmacists and interns, some directly under his supervision.
PSC member
Organization: University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Ms Ernest is a development practitioner with more than 20 years of experience working in the civil society and higher education sectors. She brings experience of working in governance and development projects in South Africa and the African region, including in policy development. She assists in the grant management of the SPaRCS project.
Administrative Support Staff – University of the Western Cape
Ms Abbas assists in the financial administration and preparation of financial reports.
Ms Petersen assists with project administration and management; logistics and communication.
Lead Partners
Eswatini
Namibia
South Africa
Zimbabwe
