Ethiopia has achieved a major international public health victory, reaching Regulatory Maturity Level 3 in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global classification of national regulatory authorities.

This level confirms that a country has a stable, well-functioning, and integrated regulatory system in place to monitor the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines and medical products on its market.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus publicly celebrated the accomplishment, which signifies a major step in reinforcing the nation's healthcare security.

Ethiopia now joins an elite group of African nations—including Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Senegal, and Rwanda—at this level.

According to Dr. Tedros, this crucial progress is vital for the continent's health, moving Africa "closer to improving local production and access to safer, quality medicines and medical products." The classification is expected to build trust in domestically manufactured pharmaceuticals and facilitate greater access to high-quality healthcare products across the region.