Sub-Saharan Africa Boosts Health Self-Reliance with Local HIV Medicines and Diagnostics

Sub-Saharan Africa Boosts Health Self-Reliance with Local HIV Medicines and Diagnostics

Sub-Saharan Africa is taking a significant step toward health self-reliance as locally produced HIV medicines and diagnostic tests are being integrated into national health programs. This development is particularly noteworthy for a region that carries nearly 65% of the global HIV burden and has long been dependent on imports of life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and testing kits.

Here's a detailed look at this crucial milestone:

Pioneering Local Production and Procurement

 

 First-Ever African-Made Procurement for Mozambique: In a historic move, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is procuring African-made HIV treatment for a national program for the first time. The treatment, a first-line ARV called TLD (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, lamivudine, and dolutegravir), is being supplied to Mozambique. This marks the first time an African-manufactured TLD has been used in this procurement channel.

 

 WHO Prequalification: A key factor enabling this breakthrough is the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification. Universal Corporation Ltd, a pharmaceutical company based in Kenya, became the first African manufacturer to receive this critical certification to produce HIV medicine. This prequalification ensures that the medicines meet international standards for quality, safety, and efficacy, making them eligible for purchase by global health organizations.

 

 Strengthening the Supply Chain: Local production and procurement are expected to strengthen Africa's health supply chain systems. By relying on regional manufacturers, the continent can reduce its dependency on global markets, mitigate vulnerabilities, and ensure an uninterrupted supply of medicines for people living with HIV.

Expanding Local Diagnostic Capabilities

 

 Nigerian Company's Role: In a related effort, a Nigerian diagnostics company, Codix Bio, has received a sublicence to manufacture rapid diagnostic tests for HIV. This is a crucial step toward making diagnostics more affordable and accessible across the continent.

 

 Addressing Supply Delays: The local production of HIV rapid tests will help address supply chain vulnerabilities and delays in accessing diagnostics. Timely and affordable testing is considered the frontline of prevention and treatment, and local production will help maintain these essential services.

 

 Collaborative Support: This initiative is the result of collaborative efforts by the WHO's Health Technology Access Programme and the Medicines Patent Pool, which are working to support technology transfer and create a sustainable diagnostics market in low- and middle-income countries.

This push for local production is part of a broader strategic shift to bolster Africa's health self-reliance, a goal that has become even more urgent in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. By building a more resilient and equitable health system, the continent aims to better respond to its own public health challenges and reduce its reliance on external partners.

I'm Aisha shehu

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