Nairobi, Kenya, 21 October (ECA) - The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) holds a 3-day Validation and Closure of Phase II of the AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative & Discussion of the Action Plan for Phase III meeting in Nairobi, Kenya from 19 to 21 October 2022. The event brought together senior government officials from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, and Sudan as well as representatives of UNECA, UNICEF, AUC, AUDA-NEPAD, Africa CDC, EAC, USP and pharmaceutical specialists.
During the meeting, the ECA presented the Pooled Procurement Platform wireframe showcasing information on select medicines formulary, prices, vendors, as precursor to the establishment and operationalization of the Pooled Procurement Mechanism for select Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (SRMNCH) medicines and products. Furthermore, two draft reports were presented to strengthen the analysis and policy recommendations for local production and medicines regulation. Finally, the ECA also presented the Action Plan for Pharma Initiative Phase III.
Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, and Sudan endorsed data collection for the Pooled Procurement Platform and reaffirmed their commitment to engage in pooled procurement of selected SRMNCH medicines in Phase III of the AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative. During the discussions, government officials and experts provided recommendations that enrichened the two draft reports prepared by the ECA, which should be soon published to strengthen knowledge on the continent about local production and regulation of medicines.
The recommendations provided suggest that harmonizing the medicines regulatory environment under the African Medicines Agency is essential to ensure quality-assured, safe, and efficacious medical products to the health and safety of the African population. Pooled procurement of medicines will increase the collective bargaining power and promote much-needed savings which will help create fiscal space for African countries. Moreover, Ms. Jane Karonga, ECA Economic Affairs Officer and Team Leader of the AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative, stressed that “developing local production of medicines will improve the resilience of health systems, expanding Africa’s capacity to respond and manage health crises.”.
With renewed commitment from pilot countries and partners, Phase III of the AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative, which will begin in 2023, will focus on the establishment of pooled procurement arrangements of selected SRMNCH products and facilitate and advocate for local production of the same as well as support towards improved regulation and quality standards for medicines and environmental, health and safety guidelines.
For further information contact:
Communications Section
AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
E-mail: karonga@un.org
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