African Leaders Unite for Health Sovereignty, Drug Access
African leaders and international health organizations met at the UN General Assembly to discuss achieving health sovereignty. The initiative aims to reduce dependence on foreign medical supplies by boosting regional manufacturing of vaccines and essential medicines.
Why it matters
Strengthening local pharmaceutical production is critical for Africa's ability to respond to future pandemics and improve long-term public health outcomes.
The Joint United Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the African Union Development Agency (NEPAD) and partners have convened African ministers, government leaders, private sector, and international organizations to drive a shared agenda for health sovereignty and speed-up African production of cutting-edge medicines and health technologies for HIV and other pandemics.
The event, held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, focused on how Africa can accelerate access to life-saving health technologies through stronger regional manufacturing, regulatory cooperation and political leadership.
As well as UNAIDS and AUDA-NEPAD, partners included the Government of C te d'Ivoire, Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania and the Global Council on AIDS, Inequality and Pandemics.
Participants pointed to scientific breakthroughs, such as long-acting HIV prevention medicines, mRNA vaccine technologies and new shorter TB treatments as they laid out ways to better translate science into access for all.
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