Ghana’s FDA boss appointed Head of African Medicines Agency of African Union

Ghana has secured the top position in Africa’s medicines regulation space, following the election of the Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Delese Mimi Darko, as the first Director-General of the African Medicines Agency (AMA).

Her election was confirmed on June 4, 2025, at the 2nd Ordinary Session of the Conference of State Parties in Kigali, Rwanda.

The AMA is a specialized agency of the African Union established to ensure equitable access to safe, effective, and quality medical products across the continent.

Dr. Darko emerged as the top candidate from a pool of 149 applicants in a competitive selection process that began in January 2025. She will be relocating to Rwanda, where the AMA is headquartered.

The announcement was met with national pride, with Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, congratulating her and praising President John Mahama’s leadership in supporting Ghana’s successful bid.

Dr. Darko, a seasoned pharmacist and regulator, has led Ghana’s FDA since 2017 and is credited with strengthening the country’s medicine regulatory systems and enhancing international cooperation in pharmaceutical safety.

Dr. Darko is widely respected across Africa and globally for her pioneering contributions to medicine safety and regulation.

A pharmacist with an MBA, she joined the FDA nearly three decades ago and rose to become its first female CEO in 2017.

She also led the development of mobile tools like the Med Safety App, expanded community-based patient safety centres, and built strong partnerships with international bodies including WHO, GAVI, UK MHRA, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and WAHO.

Dr. Darko currently chairs the WHO African Vaccines Regulatory Forum and serves on various global advisory panels, including the WHO/CIOMS Committee on Vaccine Safety and the Medicines for Malaria Venture.