A major regional initiative to strengthen specialist pharmaceutical training across West Africa is underway in Lomé, where experts from ECOWAS Member States are meeting from 1 to 5 December 2025 to align, validate, and finalise Training Curricula in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The five-day workshop, organised by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), brings together academics, regulators, professional bodies, and training institutions to ensure that pharmaceutical specialist training meets international standards, supports professional mobility, and enhances the quality of health services across the region.
The opening ceremony featured remarks and goodwill messages from representatives of the Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, the West African Professional Colleges, the Deans of Health Sciences Faculties, the Regional Council for Health Professionals Training, the Director General of WAHO, and the Ministry of Health of Togo.
Professor Agnon Koffi Balogou, the President of the Regional Council for Health Professionals Training underscored the importance of unity and collaboration in strengthening specialised pharmaceutical training across ECOWAS. He expressed deep appreciation to the Government of Togo, the Director General of WAHO, and all participants for their commitment to advancing harmonised curricula in the region. He reminded participants that the task at hand is not to rewrite the existing curriculum but to align, validate and finalise the already agreed baseline developed during previous workshops. He emphasised that harmonised curricula are essential for professional mobility, integration, and the retention of qualified health personnel in West Africa. Calling for discipline, focus and collective responsibility, he urged all experts to adhere strictly to the agreed process and deliver fully finalised curricula that meets the expectations of WAHO and the region.
Speaking on behalf of the Director General of WAHO, Prof Joseph Olorunda highlighted the persistent shortage of qualified health professionals across ECOWAS and reaffirmed WAHO’s commitment to addressing this gap through harmonised, high-quality training. He recalled WAHO’s major achievements, including the harmonisation of 47 curricula, development of training manuals, support to Member States, and initiatives such as engaging medical experts from the diaspora. He emphasised that aligning and validating specialised curricula in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is essential to strengthening human resources, improving health outcomes, and ensuring the free movement and recognition of qualifications across the region.
Delivering the opening speech on behalf of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, Mr Wadagni Sossah, WAHO Laision Officer for Togo, emphasised the importance of harmonising specialised training in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, noting that pharmacists today must operate across clinical, industrial, research and public health domains. He highlighted the diversity of challenges faced by Member States and stressed that harmonised curricula are essential to improving training quality, professional readiness and health service delivery. Reaffirming the Togolese Government’s full support for regional initiatives that strengthen health systems and security, he encouraged participants to work with rigour, collaboration and commitment to achieve the workshop’s objectives for the benefit of millions across West Africa.
The workshop will review, align, and finalise postgraduate curricula in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in line with ECOWAS protocols on human resources development and diploma equivalence. Building on a process initiated in 2007, the exercise covers a wide range of programmes from clinical pharmacy and industrial pharmacy, logistics and supply chain management to toxicology, drug development, and emerging fields such as pharmacoeconomics, vaccinology, and radiopharmacy.
Participants will work in expert groups to refine course content, training standards, admission requirements, and institutional capacity needs, ensuring the curricula meet international benchmarks.
The initiative forms part of WAHO’s mandate to harmonise health training across Member States, enhance quality assurance, strengthen professional mobility, and advance the region’s health workforce as a key driver of improved health outcomes and integration.
