08:00 – 09:00
Poster Viewing
09:00 – 10:40
Session 4: Patient-Centred Pharmacovigilance and Community Engagement
Chair: Alemayehu Duga, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Ethiopia
Co-Chair: Prof Hannelie Meyer, Head: South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
09:00 – 09:30
Perceptions and Experiences of Patients Regarding AE Reporting and Medical Practitioners Regarding AE Reporting, including their opinions on direct patient reporting
George Sabblah, Deputy CEO, Technical Operations Division, FDA-Ghana
Leith Kwaan, QPPV, National Bioproducts Institute NPC
Patient engagement in pharmacovigilance is important because it offers unique insights into the safety of medical products leading to new safety signals. This presentation will explore patient reporting of adverse drug reactions, with research findings presented from the perspectives of both patients and medical practitioners.
09:30 – 09:50
Opportunities and Barriers in Patient-Centred Pharmacovigilance: A Digital Health Perspective from Namibia
Magano Akuaake, Co-founder Okoshi Digital
09:50 – 10:00
Oral Abstract Presentation: Strengthening Pharmacovigilance Literacy Through Facility and Community Embedded Awareness Campaigns in Africa: Implications for Patient Safety
Winnie Chebiwot, Kacheliba Subcounty Hospital, Kenya
To characterize PV literacy and ADR reporting awareness gaps in African settings and summarize measurable effects of PV literacy interventions on reporting and knowledge
10:00 – 10:10
Oral Abstract Presentation: Less is more: A Call for an African Deprescribing Network / Moins de médicaments, plus de santé: Un appel à la création d’un réseau africain de déprescription
Myriam Salem, National Supervisor of the Clinical Trials, Compliance Programme, Health Canada
Across Africa, the use of multiple medications, known as polypharmacy, is increasing, especially among older adults and people leaving with chronic diseases.
10:10 – 10:20
Oral Abstract Presentation: Facteurs de risque hémorragique chez les patients traités par antivitamine K : étude prospective au niveau d’un service de cardiologie
Wahiba Djafri, Centre National de Pharmacovigilance et Matériovigilance – CNPM, Algeria
Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) continue to be widely used in the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disorders
10:20 – 10:30
Oral Abstract Presentation: Urinary tract infections, Risk factors and antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Heart Failure patients on Sodium-Glucose Transporter 2 Inhibitors: Evidence from Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute in Tanzania
Julieth Michael, Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute, Tanzania
To determine the prevalence of UTIs, associated factors, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among HF patients on SGLT2 inhibitors at Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), Tanzania
10:30 – 10:40
Oral Presentation: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Pharmacovigilance Among Healthcare Professionals and Consumers in the Gambia
Momodou S. Jallow, Medicines Control Agency, Gambia
This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding pharmacovigilance among healthcare professionals and consumers in The Gambia, and develop recommendations to improve the reporting of ADRs.
10:40 – 11:00
Coffee break and poster viewing
11:00 – 12:40
Session 5: Global & Regional Partnerships for Africa’s PV Future
Chair: Leith Kwaan, QPPV, National Bioproducts Institute NPC
Co-Chair: Kennedy Odokonyero, African Pharmaceutical Network, Kenya
11:00 – 11:30
A Progressive Web App for Global Adverse Event Reporting – Afrivigilance and Med Safety
Phil Tregunno, Deputy Director of Patient Safety Monitoring, MHRA
Sarah, Vaughan, Head of Vigilance Operations, MHRA
11:30 – 11:50
Providing a relevant PV service as a Southern African distributor of medicinal products
Charles Mandisodza, PV Lead, Cospharm
A relevant PV service in Southern Africa is one that is local, proactive, and collaborative. Our goal is not just compliance—it is to safeguard patient welfare and ensure trust in the medicines we distribute.
11:50 – 12:10
Substandard and Falsified Medical Product (SFMP) Analysis in Vigibase
Alem Zekarias, Senior Pharmacovigilance Scientist at WHO Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring
The presentation will provided an overview of how VigiBase, the WHO global database of individual case safety reports (ICSRs), is used to detect, analyse, and monitor substandard and falsified medical products (SFMPs) reported worldwide.
12:10 – 12:20
Oral Abstract Presentation: Aligning People, Not Just Protocols: Integrating Cultural Awareness into Multi-Country Vaccine Safety Collaboration
Kimberley Gutu, Programme Manager, BRAVE project (Background Rates of Adverse Events for Vaccine Evaluation in Africa)
Pharmacovigilance relies not only on robust methods and harmonised data, but also on trust among study teams, healthcare providers, health systems, and communities
12:20 – 12:30
Oral Abstract Presentation: Regional patterns of antimicrobial resistance reporting in pharmacovigilance global database
Priscilla Nyambayo, Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant global challenge. Africa highest adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reporting rates for anti-infectives (65.1%) compared to other drug classes, may reflect different exposures to antimicrobials’ disease prevalence.
12:30 – 12:40
Q & A
12:40 – 13:40
Lunch
13:40 – 15:20
Session 6: Pharmacovigilance in Public Health and Emergency Situation
This session is hosted and supported by Africa CDC
Chair: Dr Rebecca Chandler: Senior Clinical Development Vaccine Safety Lead, CEPI
Co-Chair: Ibrahim Mohammed Amidu, ISoP Student Group
13:40 – 14:00
Background Incidence Rates in Africa: What We Learned and Why It Matters for Pharmacovigilance
Dr. Andy Stergachis, Professor of Pharmacy & Global Health, University of Washington
14:00 – 14:20
Pharmacovigilance in Public Health Emergencies – Lessons from Mpox
Dr. Trésor Bodjick, National Pharmacovigilance Center-DRC
14:20 – 14:40
Safety outcome endpoints – synergy between MedDRA and Brighton case definitions
Dr. Dale Nordenberg, Safety Platform for Emergency Vaccines (SPEAC)
14:40 – 15:00
Regional and Global Pooling of Spontaneous Safety Reports in Emergency Contexts: Opportunities and Challenges
Dr. Edinam Agbenu, Vaccine Safety and Quality Officer, WHO AFRO
15:00 – 15:10
Oral Abstract Presentation: Operational Lessons from Implementing an Mpox Vaccination Cohort Event Monitoring Study in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Coordination, Stakeholder Roles, and Implementation Insights
Alemayehu Duga, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Ethiopia
To describe the operationalization of the CEM study of mpox vaccines in the DRC and to document lessons learned to strengthen CEM studies in resource-limited outbreak settings.
15:10 – 15:20
Oral Abstract Presentation: Safety monitoring of the R21 malaria vaccine in Burkina Faso: preliminary pharmacovigilance results
Kampadilemba Ouoba, National Regulatory Authority (NRA), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine was introduced into the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in Burkina Faso in August 2025 in children. Monitoring adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) is essential to document its safety profile under real-world conditions of use.
15:20 – 15:40
Coffee break
15:40 – 16:30
Rapid Fire Presentations (Oral and Poster)
Chair: Hannelie Meyer, Professor, Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)
Co-Chair: Jayesh M. Pandit, Pharmacovigilance Country Head, Bayer
15:40 – 15:45
Oral Abstract Presentation: Assessment of Tools, Protocols and Practices to Enhance Vaccine and Medical Countermeasures Safety Surveillance During Public Health Emergencies in Africa
Carlos Kilowe, Regional Lead for Pharmacovigilance, Africa CDC
To assess tools, protocols, and practices to enhance vaccine and medical countermeasures safety surveillance during public health emergencies in Africa
15:45 – 15:50
Oral Abstract Presentation: Building a Sustainable Pharmacovigilance Ecosystem in Africa: Achievements and Future Directions of the Centre of Excellence for Pharmacovigilance in Southern Africa (CEPSA)
Nicolas Praet, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
To present CEPSA’s core activities, key achievements, and future directions.
15:50 – 15:55
Oral Abstract Presentation: Regulatory Measures for Rationalizing Codeine and Tramadol Use
Sarah Zerei, National Agency of Medicines and health products, Tunisia
This study aims to discuss the rationale behind the measures taken by the Tunisian National Agency for Medicines and Health Products (ANMPS) to rationalize the use of codeine and tramadol.
15:55 – 16:00
Oral Abstract Presentation: Strengthening pharmacovigilance systems through regulatory inspections and capacity building to support local pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria
Uchenna Geraldine Elemuwa, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria
To evaluate the role of pharmacovigilance inspections and regulatory capacity-building initiatives in strengthening PV system implementation among local pharmaceutical manufacturers in Nigeria.
16:00 – 16:05
Oral Abstract Presentation: Ambiguous Events: Navigating Substandard and Falsified Products, Treatment Failure and Drug Resistance Events in Pharmacovigilance
Joanitah Atuhaire, NDA, Uganda
This is a secondary data review of reporting trends of SFs, drug resistance and treatment failure in the global database to identify challenges and opportunities with reporting these unique events.
16:05 – 16:10
Oral Abstract Presentation: Mapping Pharmacovigilance Capacity in Southern Africa: Preliminary Findings from a Survey to Inform Targeted Pharmacovigilance Capacity Strengthening
Ebenezer Wiafe, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
The Centre of Excellence for Pharmacovigilance in Southern Africa (CEPSA) was established to strengthen pharmacovigilance (PV) capacity through training, research, policy-making support, and knowledge sharing.
16:10 – 16:15
Oral Abstract Presentation: The Impact of the African Union Smart Safety Surveillance (AU-3S) Initiative on Strengthening Pharmacovigilance Systems in Wave 1 and Wave 2 Countries
Elirehema Mfinanga, AUDA-NEPAD, South Africa
To assess AU-3S impact on PV system strengthening in Wave 1 and Wave 2 countries
16:15 – 16:20
Oral Abstract Presentation: An AI-Powered Literature Surveillance Platform for Pharmacovigilance with African Journal Coverage
Japie van Tonder, Scigenix (Pty) Ltd, South Africa
To develop and validate LewisLit, an AI-powered literature surveillance platform automating pharmacovigilance screening that incorporates non-indexed African journals through web-scraping
16:20 – 16:25
Oral Abstract Presentation: Advancing Evidence Based Pharmacovigilance: The future of BRIMS
Kagiso Modise, Pharmacovigilance Officer, Botswana Medicine Regulatory Authority
To evaluate the role played by multiple adverse event reporting tools in data-driven pharmacovigilance and identify opportunities for AI integration into BRIMS.
16:30 – 17:00
Closing Ceremony – photos and prizes