By Lloydson G.Flomo
MONROVIA, Aug. 21 (LINA) – The Deputy Managing Director of the Liberia Medicines & Health Products Regulatory Authority (LMHRA), Dr. Patricia Quaye-Freeman, has been appointed to the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM) Technical Working Group following her active participation in high-level consultations convened by the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to a statement published by the LMHRA on August 18, 2026, the consultations brought together representatives from 14 African Union Member States, including procurement agencies, national regulatory authorities, and ministries of health, to advance discussions on the operationalization of the APPM, developments in local pharmaceutical manufacturing, and strategies to expand access to quality-assured medicines, vaccines, medical equipment, and other essential health products across Africa.
Dr. Quaye-Freeman made significant contributions to the discussions through technical presentations and interventions focused on strengthening regulatory systems, improving procurement coordination, and advancing sustainable access to health products.
Her contributions were recognized by participants and subsequently led to her appointment to the APPM Technical Working Group.
In her new role, Dr. Quaye-Freeman is expected to contribute to efforts aimed at aggregating demand, increasing procurement from African manufacturers, strengthening regional supply chains, and promoting equitable access to quality-assured health products across the continent.
The APPM is an Africa CDC-led initiative designed to strengthen Africa’s collective purchasing power by pooling demand for essential health products.
By consolidating procurement needs across countries, the mechanism seeks to improve market efficiency, reduce fragmentation, and create stronger incentives for investment in Africa’s pharmaceutical and health-product manufacturing sector.
The initiative is also aligned with the African Union’s broader objective of increasing domestic production of health products, including the target of manufacturing at least 60 percent of the continent’s health products domestically by 2040, as endorsed by AU Heads of State and Government.
During the Addis Ababa consultations, participating Member States underscored the importance of national ownership, political commitment, coordinated action, and sustained investment in making pooled procurement effective.
The discussions also examined how collective purchasing could reduce procurement fragmentation, strengthen regional supply chains, and provide greater market visibility and predictability for manufacturers and investors operating within Africa.
Africa CDC has framed the APPM around three interconnected priorities:
Manufacture Africa — promoting industrial development and expanding the continent’s capacity to manufacture essential health products; Procure Africa — strengthening pooled and coordinated purchasing mechanisms to improve procurement efficiency and Africa’s bargaining power; and Regulate Africa — advancing regulatory strengthening and harmonization of standards across Member States.
The APPM builds on lessons learned from the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP), which was established during the COVID-19 pandemic to address critical supply challenges.
The pooled procurement initiative is supported technically and financially by development and international partners, including the World Bank, European Union, Unitaid, UNFPA, and UNICEF.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant vulnerabilities in Africa’s dependence on international supply chains, particularly as export restrictions, production bottlenecks, and intense global competition affected access to vaccines, medicines, and other essential medical commodities.
Against this backdrop, strengthening regional supply chains and developing more coordinated procurement and regulatory systems have become key priorities for African health institutions. The integration of national regulatory authorities into the APPM’s governance structure is intended to help address longstanding challenges associated with fragmented procurement systems, differing regulatory requirements, and limited coordination among Member States.
Dr. Quaye-Freeman’s appointment to the Technical Working Group represents a significant opportunity for Liberia to contribute directly to the development of a continental mechanism aimed at improving the availability, affordability, quality, and security of essential health products.
Her appointment also underscores Liberia’s growing engagement in continental health initiatives and reflects the country’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s collective capacity to manufacture, regulate, procure, and distribute health products for the benefit of African populations.
Through Dr. Quaye-Freeman’s participation, Liberia is positioned to contribute its regulatory and public-health expertise to the APPM while supporting broader African Union efforts to build resilient, self-reliant, and sustainable health-product systems across the continent.