The African Development Bank and several partners will hold a forum in Kigali, Rwanda on 14 December 2022 to unveil the newly launched African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation (APTF). The forum will take place during the 2nd International Conference on Public Health in Africa which runs from 12-15 December.
In June this year, the Bank’s Board of Directors approved the establishment of the APTF to boost the continent’s access to technology in manufacturing medicines, vaccines and other pharmaceutical products.
The forum, titled “Technology Access for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: The African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation,” will feature discussion of existing barriers to accessing technology in Africa’s pharmaceutical sector. It will focus on innovative approaches incorporating partnerships, intellectual property, and domestic capacity-building that promotes sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing in Africa.
The Foundation represents a significant step towards improving the health prospects of a continent that is burdened by disease but with a minimal capacity to produce its own medicines and vaccines. According to Bank data, Africa imports more than 70% of the medications it needs, at a cost of up to $14 billion annually.
A delegation of senior officials from the African Development Bank will attend the breakfast forum, including Solomon Quaynor, Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation; Prof. Padmashree Gehl Sampath, Special Adviser to Dr. Adesina on Pharmaceuticals and Health; Nnenna Nwabufo, Director General for East Africa; and Aissa Toure Sarr, the Country Manager for Rwanda.
The forum will also feature a panel discussion on Enhancing technology access and technology transfer for domestic manufacturing in Africa. Panelists will include experts from the World Health Organization, Rwandan government ministries, and other stakeholders. (End)