Strengthening pharmaceutical innovation in Africa: designing strategies for national pharmaceutical innovation: choices for decision makers and countries

This report is the first step in a process aiming to move forward the practical changes needed to increase innovation for health in Africa by Africa. Specifically, it provides the evidence base and direction for the initiative 'Strengthening Pharmaceutical Innovation in Africa', which is based on the study conducted by NEPAD and COHRED in 2008-2009 on the pharmaceutical innovation landscape and current approaches in Africa. The initiative supports African countries to craft strategies and build skills and to engage in pharmaceutical innovation and access to medicines for the benefit of the continent’s population.

This article presents a map of the many pharmaceutical innovation efforts in progress in Africa linked to improving access to drugs,  the pharmaceutical innovation framework and grid (which is a tool for countries to engage in innovation and improve access to essential medicines), and recommends how the initiative can be taken forward to support countries to provide pharmaceutical access and innovation to their populations.

Major conclusions of the analytical process:

• there is a growing demand for pharmaceutical innovation in Africa, as well as globally
• there is complexity of the landscape of pharmaceutical innovation
• there are a lack of approaches to help countries make decisions on engagement.

The key recommendations from the report are as follows:

• operationalising strategies and plans of action supporting harmonisation and evaluation of the 'Global Strategy' and African Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan
• obtaining high-level political support for implementation
• starting implementation. Capacity building is recognised as vital to strengthening pharmaceutical innovation in Africa. Key areas to be strengthened: access, manufacturing, research and development
• developing of additional tools, frameworks and guidelines if and when needed
• monitoring and evaluating.