Toxicovigilance systems and practices in Africa

African consumers and citizens are growingly aware of the wide range of toxic poisoning scenarios from different products and hazards. Recurrent episodes onpoisoning that have been reported in Africa include toxic hazards in consumers’ products ranging from food to herbal medicine, drugs, and cosmetics. Chemicalpoisoning remains an issue that is overlooked by public health stakeholders in Africa. Available information on toxicovigilance systems and practices in Africancountries is reviewed in terms of increasing development, organization and articulation levels. Less than nine out of 54 African countries have a legally recognizedtoxicovigilance system. Of these, the majority have created toxicovigilance systems recently, and are facing many challenges in developing them, at regional andcountry levels. Basic structures for a good toxicovigilance system include a phone line service (available 24/7), and hospital facilities. Pesticides emerge as the hazard recognized by all of the toxicovigilance systems, and may represent a prototypic toxicant towards a toxicovigilance system that is inclusive of a wider spectrum oftoxicological hazards for the protection of community health. Toxicovigilance today is more reactive than preventive in Africa, but some milestones are present thatconstitute some promising seminal efforts