A History of Pharmacovigilance (PV) in the Republic of Malawi – Insight into a PV Monitoring Center

Abstract

Pharmacovigilance (PV) is a vital component of public and private healthcare systems. The necessity of monitoring and evaluating the safety of medications is achieved through this field of medicine. This leads to more effective and trusted healthcare professionals globally. Within the African region, PV has been often adequately underfunded and under resourced. However, in the Republic of Malawi, key public and private health leaders have evaluated the history of pharmacovigilance in their country and have taken significant strides to address issues surrounding PV. Through international partnerships with the World Health Organization International Drug Safety Monitoring Programme and Uppsala Monitoring Centre, a PV centre was established after the health leader’s interventions. This facilitated a central location for monitoring medications used in Malawi and responses to those reports. Furthermore, pharmacovigilance has been incorporated into Malawian healthcare professional’s education ensuring the sustainability and impact these PV initiatives will have on its citizens. Substantial challenges still exist within Malawi’s pharmacovigilance program including a dedicated PV budget, PV trained individuals at every level of care and difficulties in utilizing paper-based reporting forms. However, Malawian health leaders predict positive future strides in the PV arena through healthcare professional’s engagement and sensitization of Malawi’s population. This process that dedicated healthcare professionals in Malawi undertook can serve as a guide to other countries for the establishment of a PV monitoring centre and the dissemination of a PV reporting culture.