Crise à l’Agence sénégalaise de réglementation pharmaceutique : Les syndicats tirent la sonnette d’alarme
The Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ARP), a strategic body within the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene responsible for ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines, is experiencing significant turmoil. Staff members of the agency, united within the SAMES-SUTSAS Joint Struggle, are denouncing a governance crisis with potentially serious consequences for public health.
In a statement released on Monday, these trade unions reported "deep and persistent dysfunctions" within the ARP. They specifically cited serious suspicions of irregularities in the handling of sensitive cases related to the drug supply chain, a governance structure deemed deficient, and transfers and assignments described as arbitrary and punitive.
The unions also denounce unilateral salary reductions, a wave of resignations affecting pharmaceutical and administrative managers, as well as massive recruitments described as opaque and based on patronage.
In addition, they argue, there have been serious attacks on social dialogue and trade union freedom, creating a toxic social climate within the institution.
The SAMES-SUTSAS Joint Struggle Group points out that the ARP (Agency for Pharmaceutical Regulation) obtained Maturity Level 3 (NM3) in December 2024, a major international recognition that confirms the reliability of the national pharmaceutical regulatory system. The unions attribute this achievement to the collective and rigorous work of the agency's staff.
Today, they believe, this performance is seriously threatened by practices contrary to the principles of good governance, transparency and regulatory independence, at the risk of undermining Senegal's credibility with its technical and financial partners.
Faced with escalating tensions, an official meeting was held on December 29, 2025 between the General Directorate of the ARP, the Chairman of the Regulatory Council and union representatives, in the presence of national officials from SUTSAS and SAMES for the Dakar area.
At the end of this meeting, the general management committed to transmitting the human resources audit report no later than January 12, 2026, to opening structured discussions on the demands and to correcting certain recognized dysfunctions.
However, according to the unions, none of these commitments have been honored. "No official documents have been submitted, no formal response has been provided," they lament, expressing a feeling of contempt and a deepening of social unrest.
Beyond the social conflict, the SAMES-SUTSAS Joint Struggle Group is raising the alarm about the consequences of this crisis for the safety of the pharmaceutical supply chain. It points to a weakening of regulatory controls, suspicions of irregular practices in authorization procedures, a blurring of roles between approval, inspection, and market surveillance, as well as the marginalization of technical agents and sworn inspectors.
Faced with this situation, the unions are calling on the highest state authorities for urgent, responsible, and independent intervention to "save a strategic institution." They are demanding, in particular, the establishment of an impartial commission of inquiry, the immediate restoration of social dialogue, respect for commitments made, and the protection of staff engaged in defending the public interest.
Commentaires (5)
L Etat doit veiller à ce que cette structure soit gérée par des gens compétents, sérieux, rigoureux et éthiques. Autrement, nous risquons de mettre dans notre pays des médicaments de mauvaise qualité avec des conséquences dramatiques pour les patients sénégalais.
Nos Autorités doivent faire très attention dans les nominations à l'ARP et partout ailleurs car sans les bonnes personnes, on n'aura pas de bons résultats.
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