The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has procured for the first time, a first-line HIV treatment manufactured in Africa.
The life-saving antiretroviral drugs were produced by a Kenyan pharmaceutical company and recently delivered to Mozambique.
Ms. Hui Yang, Head of Supply Operations at the Global Fund, made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
NAN reports that the medication, known as TLD—a fixed-dose combination of tenofovir, lamivudine, and dolutegravir- is prequalified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and meets international quality standards. The shipment is expected to treat more than 72,000 people living with HIV in Mozambique annually.
“This historic milestone highlights the Global Fund’s strong commitment to promoting regional manufacturing and capacity building,” Hui said.
“By fostering production based in Africa, we are strengthening supply security and expanding access to quality-assured, affordable health products across the continent,” she added.
Also quoted in the statement, Mozambique’s Minister of Health, Dr Ussene Hilário Isse described the development as a turning point in the region’s fight against HIV.
“Africa’s growing capacity to locally produce lifesaving medications marks a strategic shift for our continent,” he said. “It reduces dependence on imports and enhances our ability to respond swiftly to public health challenges.”
Mr Mark Edington, Head of Grant Management at the Global Fund, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to scaling up the procurement of affordable, high-quality health products produced in Africa.
“Accelerating and scaling up the procurement and delivery of competitively priced and quality African-made health products, including ARVs, will continue to be a top priority,” Edington said.
He added that under its NextGen market-shaping strategy, the Global Fund is also focused on building sustainable supply chains and closing the gap between high demand and limited local production in Africa.
“The initiative aims to enhance health security while promoting economic growth through local pharmaceutical manufacturing,” he said.
NAN reports that the Global Fund is working closely with partners such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), Unitaid, and African Regional Economic Communities to strengthen regional manufacturing and procurement systems.
Previously, the fund sourced antimalarial medicines, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and co-trimoxazole from African-based manufacturers under its quality assurance guidelines.
As Africa continues to battle high burdens of HIV and other diseases, stakeholders say such developments offer a pathway to greater independence, resilience, and improved health outcomes across the continent.(NAN)
