The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) has released a report entitled 50 Years of Global Health Progress which details the achievements in the global health sector over the last half a century.
The report by IFPMA affiliate, the Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (KAPI), highlights Kenya as the main player in the formal pharmaceutical sector in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Speaking during the launch of the report, KAPI’s Chairperson Dr Anastasia Nyalita said the report details the role research-based biopharmaceutical industry has in prevention, treatment, and strengthening health systems globally.
“At KAPI, we salute the role played by our global affiliate IFPMA in collating a report that advances the body of knowledge on the role of pharmaceutical industry in development here in Kenya and beyond,” she said.
Kenya’s Contribution in the Pharmaceutical Sector
The report also focuses on Kenya’s support for a pilot on a malaria vaccine being carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The malaria vaccine, scientifically coded RTS, S, offers partial protection against malaria in young children.
Kenya has partnered with WHO in the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Program (MVIP) which will supply the vaccine to selected areas in the country as well as in Malawi and Ghana.
The two-year clinical pilot is expected to offer initial insights on the feasibility of using the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine (trade name Mosquirix™) in real-life cases and the safety level of the vaccine in case of routine use.
Partnerships in the Transformation of Healthcare
The report also details the partnerships made in the research-based biopharmaceutical industry over recent decades indicating the achievements that can be made when governments, businesses, and civil society work together.
Mr Ian Read, IFPMA President and the chairman and chief executive of Pfizer, a US-based pharmaceutical conglomerate observed advances in prevention and treatment of diseases have changed healthcare. “Vaccines are widely recognized as the simplest, most cost-effective way to save lives. HIV/AIDS, once fatal, can now be treated as can many cancers. Cardiovascular disease sufferers benefit from simple-one-a-day solutions. We can now cure Hepatitis C. We have an experimental vaccine for Ebola,” he said.
“While the biopharmaceutical industry has been a key player in this progress, none of it would have been accomplished without partnerships. From patient advocates to our biotech and academic partners to individual governments, innovation is only as impactful as the partnerships that support it.”
IFPMA Director General, Thomas Cueni said: “Despite tremendous progress much more needs to be done to bring the fruits of our innovation to all. The research-based biopharmaceutical industry has learned that global health is about much more than medicines and vaccines – it requires building and supporting strong health systems, delivering education to communities to promote prevention, strengthening standards and regulations and creating innovative finance models. We will continue to evolve, learn and pioneer ways to do more to reach all patients. To do this we’ll need partnerships of all kinds to take on the challenges of Universal Health coverage (UHC). We need to continue to build bridges between key actors across the health system. More dialogue and action are musts.”
IFPMA, on the occasion of the 71st World Health Assembly, held an event on May 23 in Geneva to celebrate its 50-year anniversary. The event entailed top-level panel discussions on priorities in delivering better health for everyone, everywhere.
