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Medicines Control Agency

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Medicines Control Agency

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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Medicines Control Agency, Public & Government Service, Off OIC Harding Highway Sukuta West Coast Region The Gambia, P. O. Box 3162, Sukuta.

The Mandate of Medicines Control Agency (MCA)
The Medicines and Related Products Act 2014, established the Medicines Control Agency with the mandate to control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, use and advertisements of Medicines

02/11/2026

MCA Holds Close-Out Workshop to Present its AU-3S Project Final Report

The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) held a close-out workshop on 30 October 2026 to present the final report of the African Union Smart Safety Surveillance (AU-3S) project which supported it Pharmacovigilance function, including its findings, lessons learned and sustainability plan. The event marked the official end of the project and took place at the National Association of Cooperative Credit Unions of The Gambia (NACCUG) Hall in Bakau.

In her opening remarks, the Director of Clinical Trials and Pharmacovigilance, Ms. Fatou Njie, explained that the project was set up to strengthen The Gambia’s pharmacovigilance (PV) system, following a visit to MCA by the AU-3S Team from the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), in June 2025, to assess the country’s safety surveillance system.

The team also discussed how the program could support the PV system and close the gaps identified during the assessment of the PV system.

Participants from the Health sector, including the Ministry of Health, National Health Programmes, Regional Health Directorates, hospitals and the Medicine Safety Expert Committee, and other stakeholders, to discuss the findings and made recommendations on how to sustain the result gained and to also boost the Pharmacovigilance system.

Director Njie commended all stakeholders for their contributions to the success of the project and their continued participation in strengthening the country’s PV system.

For MCA, although the project has ended, the work continues to ensure that The Gambia gets quality, safe and efficacious medicines.

28/10/2026

MCA Concludes Nationwide Med Safety App Training in Western One Health Region

The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has successfully concluded its nationwide Med Safety App Rollout Training on 27 October 2026 at the Western One Regional Health Directorate in Kanifing.

This capacity-building session brought together healthcare professionals from across the region to introduce this game-changing digital tool for reporting Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFIs), and Substandard and Falsified Medical Products.

Historically, under-reporting in The Gambia has been driven by paper-based systems and the misconception that side effects are merely "normal."

Currently, reporting levels fall below the World Health Organization (WHO) target of 200 reports per 1 million people per year.

To address this, MCA reassured healthcare workers that every report matters, even mild side effects.

The new Med Safety App makes pharmacovigilance safety surveillance faster, easier, and more convenient, it works offline, log in to report suspected side effects anytime, anywhere, and automatically submit them once reconnected to the internet.

The App is designed to ensure timely reporting while strictly protecting patient confidentiality and designed for both healthcare providers and the general public.

Participating health workers warmly welcomed the training, thanking MCA for equipping them with this modern digital tool to strengthen patient safety surveillance across the country.

Download Med Safety App from Google Play Store and Apple App store or Scan QR Code.

Report to Protect. Report to Save Lives.

Experienced a suspected side effect? Report it!

Noticed a reaction after a vaccine? Report it!

Concerns about a medicine's quality? Report it!

MCA remains committed to ensuring that all medicines and related products circulating in The Gambian market are of quality, safe,and efficacy.

📞 Contact Medicines Control Agency (MCA), The Gambia.

Toll-Free (QCell): 1233
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mca.gm

27/10/2026

Building Africa’s Regulatory Future Together 🌍 💊

The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) Gambia is in Kigali, Rwanda, for the inaugural African Medicines Agency (AMA) Week, which commenced on Sunday, 25 October 2026 with an industrial day for manufacturers and other industry players and the official launch of the seven AMA Technical Committees as its working hands and the two AMA Hubs.

The week is convened under the theme “Building Africa’s Regulatory Future Together — From National Strength to Continental Impact,” regulators from across Africa, the African Union, WHO, development partners and industry have come together to move the continent toward a harmonised system for medicines regulation.

For The Gambia, this means stronger collaboration, shared expertise and a better path to making sure the medicines our people use are of quality, safety, efficacy.

MCA Gambia is proud to be part of this historic moment.

26/10/2026

MCA Rolls Out Med Safety App in Western Health Region Two

On 26 October 2026, The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has officially conducted its nationwide rollout of the Med Safety App to the Healthcare professionals in Western Two Health Region.

Participants drawn from various health facilities across the region were equipped with the knowledge and tools to complete and submit accurate, and high-quality reports using the digital platform.

The Med Safety App is designed to address low reporting rates traditionally linked to paper-based forms and knowledge gaps. The Med Safety App offers a fast, user-friendly, and keeps patients confidential information.

Report Adverse Reactions Instantly ADR and AEFI or suspected substandard and falsified (SF) medical products.

Its important to state that user data and confidential information are securely protected.

The Med Safety App is accessible to all to send reports as it's designed for healthcare providers and patients.

Officials from the Regional Health Directorate expressed appreciation to MCA for building healthcare providers' capacity, emphasizing that monitoring drug safety is a vital duty.

Your report matters. Every report submitted may save lives.

Download the Med Safety App today on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store to ensure high-quality safety reporting at your comfort.

24/10/2026

MCA Rolls Out the Med Safety App in Lower River Region (LRR)

To modernize pharmacovigilance and combat the underreporting of adverse drug reactions ADR and AEFI in The Gambia, the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) convened a one-day intensive training session for healthcare professionals in Mansakonko.

The initiative focused on operationalizing the Med Safety App, a digital tool designed to streamline the reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFIs), and Substandard and Falsified (SF) medical Products.

While paper forms reporting remain valid, the Med Safety App offers a significantly faster, more accurate, confidentiality, and user-friendly alternative. More importantly, the app includes offline functional capabilities, allowing healthcare workers and the public to report in non-connectivity settings, where entries will upload automatically once the internet connection is restored.

The Gambia currently falls below the World Health Organization (WHO) baseline for minimum required side-effects reporting.

MCA emphasized that healthcare workers must proactively monitor and report drug reactions to ensure post-market safety surveillance and support evidence-based decision-making with substantial accurate data that reflects the realities of the ADRs/AEFIs

Available for free download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Toll-Free Helpline: 1233.
Email: [email protected]

Report side effects, saves lives!

23/10/2026

Med Safety App Rollout Training for Healthcare Professionals in Upper River Region.

On 22 October 2026, the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) conducted a capacity-building training session for healthcare professionals in the Upper River Region as part of its nationwide rollout of the Med Safety Mobile Application.

The training focused on equipping healthcare workers with the skills to use this platform to report Suspected Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFIs), and substandard and falsified medical products.

Historically, The Gambia faced significant underreporting of drug-related side effects and adverse events due to the limitations and challenges associated with traditional paper-based reporting systems.

The main objective of the Med Safety App initiative is to bridge reporting gaps across three key tiers:
Consumers/Patients
Healthcare professionals and MCA.

The Med Safety App enables wider access, accuracy, timely and speed up submissions of comprehensive ADR/AEFI reports.

Its offline features, allows users to input report without an active internet connection, automatically transmitting the data once connectivity is restored.

Furthermore, users also receive safety notifications, medicine alerts, and updates directly through the application.

Participating health workers commended MCA for organizing a timely and practical training session while they also expressed confidence that the skills acquired during the training would directly address the issue of underreporting and strengthen pharmacovigilance across the Upper River Region.

Together, we are making healthcare safer for everyone.

PublicHealth

22/10/2026

MCA staff trained to strengthen medicine quality oversight

Three Medicines Control Agency (MCA) staff members recently took part in a four-day Training of Trainers on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA), organised by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO).

The programme brought together medicines regulators from West Africa to sharpen their skills in GMP inspections and in assessing the quality systems of pharmaceutical manufacturers. Through case studies, practical exercises and mock inspections, participants learned to spot deficiencies, assess compliance, evaluate corrective actions and communicate inspection findings.

They will also share the knowledge gained through step down trainings with colleagues.

MCA remains committed to continuous capacity building and to ensuring that medicines in The Gambia are safe, effective and of good quality.

21/10/2026

MCA’s Med Safety App Rollout Reaches Central River Region.

The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) On Wednesday, 21 October 2026, conducted a comprehensive one-day training session on the MedSafety in Bansang, Central River Region.

The training brought together healthcare professionals from various healthcare facilities to learn hands-on how to seamlessly install and utilize the Med Safety App as the official digital reporting gateway to MCA.

The Med Safety App is for everyone, healthcare professionals and the general public all can submit reports.

Submit your report anytime, anywhere even if you are offline, it automatically sends once you reconnected to internet.

Built on WHO-aligned safety reporting standards, this platform is a game-changer as it provides more than paper-based forms reporting thus making it faster, easier, and far more accessible for everyone on the front lines.

Download the Med Safety App today on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store (or scan our official QR code).

Report suspected Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFIs), or suspected Substandard and Falsified (SF) medical products immediately.

Together, let’s combat under-reporting and safeguarding our communities.

Report side effects. Protect lives. Save communities.

20/10/2026

Med Safety App Rollout Continues in North Bank East

The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has trained 25 healthcare professionals in North Bank East on how to use the Med Safety App to report Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) and Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI). The training was delivered by the Directorate of Clinical Trials and Pharmacovigilance on Tuesday 20 October, 2026.

The app offers a faster, more accessible alternative to paper-based forms, allowing health workers to submit ADR and AEFI reports in real time from any location in the country.

MCA aims to significantly boost side-effects reporting and strengthen national drug safety surveillance through real-time data collection, ensuring safer medicines nationwide.

Trained participants are expected to conduct step-down training for colleagues in their respective facilities.

Through these proactive sensitization efforts, MCA continues to build a robust, data-driven foundation for evidence-based decision-making in ensuring public health.

Download the Med Safety App on the Google Play Store or App Store and report any side effects to save lives.

20/10/2026

MCA Begins Nationwide Rollout of Med Safety App, Starting with North Bank West Region

The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has officially begun rolling out the Med Safety App to healthcare professionals across the country, starting with the North Bank West Health Region on 19th October 2026 at the Regional Health Directorate in Essau.

A team from MCA’s Directorate of Clinical Trials and Pharmacovigilance trained health workers in the region on how to use the app to report Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) and Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) directly to MCA.

The initiative will strengthen The Gambia’s pharmacovigilance system by ensuring continuous monitoring of medicines and related products to safeguard public health.

Participants welcomed the initiative and commended MCA and partners for its timely intervention, noting that the app makes reporting faster and easier than slow, paper-based reporting.

The MCA team in turn commended health workers in North Bank West for recording the highest number of ADR reports in the country following the recently concluded MCA pharmacovigilance sensitization campaign.

The Med Safety App is a digital platform available on the Google Play Store and the App Store. It can be downloaded on smartphones, tablets and other digital devices to report ADRs, AEFI or Substandard and Falsified Medical Products.

MCA remains committed to ensuring medicine safety for all Gambians and implores the public to download and report medicines safety concerns directly to MCA.

Address

Off OIC Harding Highway Sukuta West Coast Region The Gambia, P. O. Box 3162
Sukuta
00220

Opening Hours

Monday	08:30 - 16:00
Tuesday	08:30 - 16:00
Wednesday	08:30 - 16:00
Thursday	08:30 - 16:00
Friday	08:30 - 04:00

Website

http://www.mca.gm/

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