MedRAP calls for ratification of African Medicines Agency

THE Medicines Research and Access Platform (MedRAP) has implored the Government of Zambia to support the African Medicines Agency case through the ratification of this treaty without further delay.

In his submission to the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services, MedRAP Executive Director LiyokaLiyoka said the ratification of the African Medicines Agency treaty would inspire global confidence in African made products and enhance the reputation and growth of African pharmaceutical manufacturers, thereby enabling them to become net exporters.

“The AMA can help grow Africa into a resilient manufacturing powerhouse and provide African solutions to African problems. This will also boost the African Free Trade Area, and all African countries will benefit from a single market approach.”

“This is something that is in line with Nelson Mandela’s belief that in a globalised world, we are the keepers of our brothers and sisters, especially in the arena of health,” Mr. Liyoka submitted.

He said the leaders of 55 African countries including Zambia, had made development of the pharmaceutical industry a key priority, as enshrined in the African Union’s Vision 2063: “The Africa We Want.”

“We commend them for the progress made in establishing AMA but the job is far from done. We encourage African Union member states to ratify the AMA,” he added.

He said the Pan African Medicines Agency will empower African people, including Zambians, to live healthier lives as they should, while at the same time promoting intra-African trade and economic development of member States.

He said during the peak of COVID -19 pandemic, many African lives were lost mainly as a result of lack of essential medicines and vaccines to its citizens, adding that it remained unclear how many people in Africa lost their lives due to the pandemic owing to the lack of testing kits or monitoring infrastructure.

“Inevitably, COVID-19 pandemic exposed the continent’s vulnerabilities in ensuring access to vital drugs, vaccines, and health technologies,” he said.

He further pointed out that 42 percent of all the substandard and falsified medicines reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) between 2013 and 2017 were attributed to the African region.

“For instance, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for as many as 436, 000 deaths annually due to falsified and substandard antimalarial medicines and antibiotics used to treat pneumonia especially in children,” he explained.

He said in Zambia, studies conducted by MedRAP on availability of SRH commodities from 2017 to 2019 consistently pegged their availability at less than 38 percent.