Addis Ababa, 19 February 2022 (ECA) - The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)’s led AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative will hold a 2-day consultative Hybrid meeting on the establishement of the Centralised Pooled Procurement Mechanism Regional Database and Regulatory Affairs for Select Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Medicines as well as the informing our member States on the Communications Strategy for AfCFTA Anchored Pharma Initiative. The meeting will be held at the Movenpick Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya from 24–25 February 2022.
The meeting is seen as an “Opportunity to accelerate the continent’s integration agenda by leveraging on the successes of the African Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) and further operationalizing the ECA’s AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative through the establishment of the Pooled Procurement of essential Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health medicines and supplies.”
The ECA launched the pharmaceutical project in November 2019 with the specific aim to bring ideas to action as part of the successful operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area which draws together a market of 1.3 billion people and combines a gross domestic product of $2.5 trillion, is expected to make a significant contribution to Africa’s ongoing efforts and goals set out in the 2030 Agenda. The initiative has a three-pronged approach: localized production, pooled procurement and a harmonized regulatory and quality framework. The intended high-level improvements are: increased trade of manufactured goods between African countries, more affordable medicines, and the creation of much-needed fiscal space for Governments in an era of rising debts. The economic improvements are complemented by welfare and social gains including significant job creation and increases in women’s productivity. The ECA pharmaceutical initiative also presents a business opportunity for the private sector which is important both in creating engagement in managing the supply side of pharmaceutical production and in bridging the health financing gap, which is estimated at $66 billion per year.
The objectives of Member States meeting are to:
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Provide a clear outline and in-depth description to Member States on how the African Medicines Supply Platform (AMSP) will be used to leverage the pooled procurement of essential maternal, neonatal and child health medicines and supplies.
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Solicit buy-in from pilot countries on the Online Procurement and Supply Chain Platform.
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Catalyse the Member States commitments and support governments that will be required to change and shape maternal and child health-care systems and outcomes in the 10 participating countries.
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Secure partnerships with National Procurement and Information Technology Institutions for technical assistance and other inputs.
The hybrid consultative meeting will be attended by high-level (Senior Officials) representatives of pilot countries, technical experts from United Nations entities, AUC, AUDA-NEPAD, IGAD, Pilot Country Focal persons, State and Non-State Actors, Private sector and Development Partners.
The Hybrid event is accessible using the following meeting link:
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Feb 24-25, 2022 09:00 AM Nairobi
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdumoqD4uEtwy1kAaIRVKckp8wryuhwIA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Kindly use same link for both days.
For Further information contact:
Communications Section
AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
E-mail: segolame.evans@un.org
fdereige@gmail.com