THE African Development Fund has greenlit an $11.96 million grant to expedite the formation of the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation, with its headquarters in Kigali, Rwanda. This substantial financial backing, coupled with a $1.93 million contribution from the Rwandan government, aims to facilitate the implementation of the Regional Pharmaceutical Sector Support Project in Rwanda.
Aissa Touré Sarr, head of the African Development Bank’s Rwanda country office, expressed optimism about the project’s potential, stating, ‘The project should produce considerable benefits (outputs and outcomes) throughout Africa. The leading-edge research and technological innovations of the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation should improve health care outcomes by providing access to advanced medicines and treatments, tackling prevalent diseases and contributing to the continent’s overall health resilience.’
The support from the African Development Fund is poised to enhance access to advanced pharmaceutical technologies and bolster the regulatory framework of the pharmaceutical industry across Africa.
Established in June 2022 by the African Development Bank, the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation inked a host country agreement with the Rwandan government in December 2023. Positioned as a transparent intermediary, the foundation aims to promote and negotiate technology-sharing with pharmaceutical multinationals and countries in the global South to address the challenges African countries face in accessing medicine and vaccine manufacturing technologies.
The foundation will prioritise capacity building for African pharmaceuticals, fostering local production and technological advancement. It will also strengthen human and professional competencies in the sector and promote pharmaceutical and vaccine innovation to elevate the continent’s pharmaceutical landscape.
The African Development Fund grant will facilitate the acquisition of office equipment and enable the Foundation, designated as an international agency by the Rwandan government, to recruit experts and specialised technical firms. These resources will support a range of health and pharmaceutical services, including administrative, human resources, financial, and contractual systems.
Additionally, the project will encompass information dissemination, consultancy services, training in good manufacturing practices, and initiatives to enhance the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products. It will align with regional regulatory harmonisation efforts, such as the mutual recognition system within the East African Community.
The African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation will collaborate closely with various stakeholders, including the African Union Medicines Agency, Africa CDC, European Union, World Health Organisation, World Trade Organisation, Medicines Patent Pool, and philanthropic organisations, fostering partnerships to bolster pharmaceutical development in Africa.
Pioneering collaboration with public and private sectors across continents, the foundation has secured partnerships with institutions like the European Investment Bank and receives substantial support from Germany.