Zimbabwe’s MCAZ Embraces Digital Channels for Medicine Safety in SADC HealthTech Push

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) is stepping up its adoption of digital tools to enhance drug safety surveillance, placing the country firmly within a regional trend where technology is becoming central to public health regulation. As part of the 10th-anniversary #MedSafetyWeek campaign, running from November 3rd to 9th, 2025, the MCAZ is deploying an array of electronic channels, emphasizing that "medicine safety starts with you and me."

The initiative is a crucial effort to combat the estimated global under-reporting of suspected side effects, where only about 5–10% of all cases are typically captured.

Digital Frontline: WhatsApp and VigiMobile

The MCAZ, as one of 130 partner organizations globally, is leveraging readily available mobile and web technology to lower the barrier for reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs). This digital strategy is vital for a country with high mobile penetration, offering immediate, actionable data to regulators.

Key digital reporting tools promoted by the MCAZ include:

• VigiFlow and VigiMobile: These specialized electronic tools are used for reporting both Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) and Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI).

• WhatsApp and Toll-Free Numbers: The Authority provides a dedicated Customer Service WhatsApp number (+263 71 885 5934), alongside toll-free numbers for Econet (08080641) and NetOne (08004507) users, ensuring ease of access even for non-smartphones or those with limited data access.

MCAZ Director-General, Mr. Richard Tendayi Rukwata, highlighted the urgency of this drive, noting that low reporting means "we only see the tip of the iceberg, and that it may take longer to identify important safety issues."

SADC HealthTech: A Regional Push for Pharmacovigilance

Zimbabwe’s proactive adoption of digital pharmacovigilance tools reflects a broader HealthTech trend among National Medicines Regulatory Agencies (NMRAs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

• South Africa (SAHPRA): The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority is a regional leader, having launched the Med Safety App to simplify reporting for the public and healthcare providers. SAHPRA is also exploring the use of data analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify safety signals and trends in adverse event data, further enhancing public safety efforts.

• Tanzania (TMDA): The Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) has implemented both an online reporting system and an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) system since 2018, recognizing that the majority of mobile phone users in the country rely on basic feature phones that can access USSD services.

This convergence on digital systems not only improves national data collection but also strengthens regional regulatory capacity. The SADC region already engages in major medicines registration harmonization efforts like ZaZiBoNa, which has helped speed up the availability of quality-assured medicines by facilitating joint assessments and work-sharing among regulatory bodies. The move to digital pharmacovigilance complements these efforts by building a unified, high-quality data set for post-market surveillance across the SADC block.

The shift to digital infrastructure, such as the use of electronic treatment guidelines, has been shown to improve supply chain management, empower healthcare providers, and significantly cut down printing costs, providing a direct financial efficiency angle relevant to FinTech.

The MCAZ's participation in #MedSafetyWeek—a campaign led by the Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC), the WHO Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring—is a commitment to leveraging technology for data transparency and citizen engagement, solidifying the regulatory body's role in the evolving African HealthTech ecosystem.