The Role of African Pharmaceutical Industry in Pandemic Response: Key Insights and Recommendations

Background

Access to affordable, quality assured and efficacious medicines and healthcare products is at the core of quality healthcare and the global aspiration for Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC). Currently, Africa bears up to 23% of global disease burden. Additionally, Africa depends on pharmaceutical imports to the tune of 70 – 90% of its needs with plans to foster local pharmaceutical manufacturing as envisaged in the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa (PMPA) which outlines the prerequisites and challenges that the plague the industry. In order to address the underlying shortfalls, Africa needs to have a structured and
strategic plan bringing together various stakeholders both from public and private sector to reshape the industry. Following COVID-19 outbreak in 2019 and widespread transmission across the world, pharmaceutical distribution channels and Africa’s health systems have been put to test. This have made it critical for the industry to look within and envision a better future for the industry that will safeguard the needs of the African people. On this account, we convened a webinar with stakeholders on 31st March 2021 to reflect on the contributions of different players in response to pandemics looking at the roles they have played in COVID-19 response and how these can be optimized in safeguarding the future of Africa’s pharmaceutical industry.

Key Insights from the Webinar

Africa’s Reliance on Aid and the Need for Self-Sufficiency

Despite two decades of aid programs like the Global Fund, African manufacturers are still excluded from supplying medicines for AIDS, TB, and malaria. This reliance on aid is unsustainable, and Africa must build its own capacity to ensure medicine security.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Local Manufacturing

COVID-19 disrupted global supply chains, forcing Africa to rely on local manufacturers for essential products like sanitizers and masks. This crisis underscored the need for sustainable local production to meet the continent’s pharmaceutical needs.

The Role of Digital Solutions in Pandemic Response

Digital solutions, such as e-pharmacies like MYDAWA, ensured reliable medicine supplies during the pandemic. These innovations highlight the potential of technology to transform Africa’s pharmaceutical sector.

Recommendations for Strengthening Africa’s Pharmaceutical Industry

Local Manufacturers

COVID-19 impacted local manufacturers by impeding access to raw materials and packaging materials as most of these are supplied from global vendors. Need to build resilience in local supplies. Disruptions led to shift to locally manufactured products and need to build local capacity to serve the market needs especially those with chronic conditions. This also led to hike in prices as shortages were witnessed. Pandemic disrupted local operations with changes in work shifts to reduce risk of exposure of industry personnel, adoption of digital solutions for documentation processes. This underscored the role of technology and
digital solutions in industrial processes. – The pandemic opened up new opportunities to drive local production for old molecules as well as new product lines such as sanitizers among others. These knee-jack responses have been critical in stress-testing local capabilities with need to envision a future of sustainable production for local needs. This will not only sustain the industry but open up opportunities both for employment and in support industries towards an enabling ecosystem. – The local industry having played its part; the next steps will call for:

Investment in local capabilities through private sector
Government policies, guidelines and regulations that are enabling to the industry
Focus on local production of APIs
Skills development and capability building to empower local talent
Regional collaborations to open markets, share expertise and support continental growth.
Contract manufacturing opportunities within the industry to serve the diverse patient population and secure quality of products in the market.
Raise local GMP standards and build capacity of local manufacturers to meet global best practices.

Biopharmaceutical Industry & International Policy

Regulatory systems strengthening and harmonization efforts driven by the IFPMA and partners across the continent is critical in safeguarding the sector. This is the reason behind continued support for capacity building as well as in setting the policy direction.

Biopharmaceutical industry needs an enabling regulatory and government infrastructure to attract the private sector including for technology transfer which is needed for the development of the local industry.
To attract financial investment in the continent, there’s need for emphasis on the complexity of different manufacturing processes which require substantial financial investments.
There’s need for sustainable pricing models for medicines beyond the focus on price to other factors such as quality & secure supplies.

Digital Pharmaceutical Solutions

There’s a growth in uptake and use of digital and technological solutions by Africans. This growing trend is an opportunity for pharmaceutical industry players to design solutions leveraging on these trends and optimizing the pharmaceutical systems in the continent.

Digital solutions have a key role in promoting efficiencies in supplies and convenience at times of disruption as was witnessed on the backdrop of COVID-19. Over the period as an e-pharmacy, MYDAWA leveraged on internal capabilities to ensure reliable supplies to patients who needed their medicines while reducing the risk of infection from COVID-19 through deliveries.
Additionally, cognizant of the challenges with healthcare financing digital players can foster collaborations with insurance companies, co-payment partners among others to ensure affordability and cost of medicines do not serve as a hindrance to patients in accessing their medicines.
Regulatory environment that’s enabling for e-pharmacy players to operate while safeguarding public health is key.

Regulatory Agencies

Regulatory agencies are the gatekeepers and play a critical role in ensuring that public health interest is secure. – With COVID-19 pandemic, there were urgent and critical needs within the industry to ensure supplies of essential medicines and health products for the population. At such times, regulatory authorities have come around to:

Strengthen clinical trials oversight as there are no confirmed therapies in pandemics
Capacity building for local manufacturers to ensure they are able to produce essential products especially as a risk management plan in
such circumstances e.g. PPB supported producers of masks and sanitizers to ensure reliable local supplies.
Timely approval and registration of medicines and establishment of clear guidelines for the same including guidance on emergency use authorization & compassionate use authorization.
Pharmacovigilance is key to ensure any adverse events are monitored, reported and interventions implemented to safeguard public health.
Collaboration in regional frameworks and initiatives to strengthen regulatory systems and infrastructure within the continent for collaborative engagement in advancement of the industry.
Quality testing and lot release to ensure the quality specifications are
met, non-compliances are assessed and acted upon.

Regulatory agencies need to foster multi-stakeholder engagements and
champion for the growth of the industry acknowledging the need to shape the industry together. These were witnessed in deliberations on how to support local vaccination efforts for COVID-19.

Academia and Research

Shortfalls in human resource capacity is a critical drawback in the continent with need to invest in training with a focus on ensuring match between training curriculum and market demands.

Investments in the industry to grow will help in ensuring graduates get the necessary jobs and on this it’s the academic and research institutions to take lead to serve as incubators/innovation hubs to develop a pipeline for research, innovation and industrialization.
Collaboration with other stakeholders to foster an ecosystem of excellence through training, knowledge sharing and innovation looking into the future with academic/scientific minds.
As discussions on technology transfer and related are being driven from industry perspective, fellowships and experiential training programs will be key in supporting development of the local talent pool to drive industry growth.

Conclusion

This session set stage on what’s possible, what’s needed and how we can do this in shaping the future of the African pharmaceutical industry. As a player in this space, our commitment is to continue working with stakeholders by providing a platform and serving as a catalyst for policy-shaping, innovation-nurturing discussions towards this envisioned future.