Controversy surrounds management of Senegal's Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency ahead of new leadership

The SAMES and SUTSAS unions within the Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency ARP have issued a statement raising concerns about current management practices, particularly ahead of a new Director General taking office. The unions aim to inform the public, state authorities, and financial partners about the situation, highlighting several issues. These include the signing of permanent contracts without adherence to standard recruitment processes and problematic administrative situations, such as a technical director holding both a ministerial appointment and a permanent contract. The statement also denounces a lack of transparency in management, which could foster distrust within the agency. Concerns were also raised regarding the assignment of missions to individuals lacking the necessary technical skills, sometimes at the expense of qualified internal staff. Furthermore, the unions pointed to issues with nationwide activities, such as a mapping mission of pharmaceutical depots across Senegal's fourteen regions, which allegedly lacked sufficient involvement from regional technical hubs. Questions were also raised about the payment of mission orders and the clarity of project management for strategic activities. In response, SAMES-SUTSAS has warned of potential risks to the agency's credibility and stability. They are calling for state oversight bodies to conduct financial and human resources audits of the outgoing Director General's management. Specifically, the unions r