Dear subscriber,
We all took note when Gilead Sciences and the Global Fund announced plans to reach 2 million people with lenacapavir, an HIV prevention drug, by 2028. But I shared Doctors Without Borders’ frustration over limited access. Africa accounts for around half of new HIV infections globally. South Africa’s interest in local production gave me hope. Aspen expressed interest, but by September 2026 had withdrawn, citing a lack of guaranteed orders. It turns out that even when people clearly need a medicine, that alone is not enough to get it manufactured locally.
Treezer Michelle Atieno - Editor
Local drug manufacturing in Africa is a necessity. Supply can only be assured if at least part of it is on-shore. But how to get there from the current situation of dominance by foreign manufacturers? African drug makers are asking for purchase guarantees before investing in new medicines, even where demand is clear. That’s an unexpected hurdle.
Aspen Pharmacare of South Africa has withdrawn from plans to make lenacapavir, the twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, due to a lack of purchase assurance. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is now consolidating regional demand to support the commercial case for producing the medicine locally.
SADC’s approach could give manufacturers the confidence to invest, but the proposed purchasing arrangements still depend on governments agreeing to finance and commit to those orders. Egypt’s Eva Pharma, meanwhile, secured a licence to manufacture lenacapavir in 2024, becoming the only African company to do so.
Our take: African pharmaceutical manufacturers must become more willing to compete for the continent’s medicine market. Africa already has a huge unmet need for essential medicines, which is reason enough to invest. Purchase guarantees may help local companies get started, but they cannot become a permanent business model…Read more (2 min)
Africa’s growing demand for treatments is creating business for medicine manufacturers, but supplying the local market requires reliable buyers. Jayasree K. Iyer, Chief Executive Officer of the Access to Medicine Foundation, argues that companies should expand into neglected treatments while procurers offer more predictable purchasing commitments.
Insulin, sterile injectables, specialised antibiotics and paediatric formulations remain underserved. Manufacturers could build business by supplying these gaps rather than concentrating on medicines already attracting numerous competitors.
Expanding production also requires dependable purchasing. Iyer argues that public and private buyers must give manufacturers sufficient confidence to invest and remain in African markets.
Find the full opinion here…Read more (2 min)
Hospital management, specialist medicine and digital health feature in this roundup of 55 mid-level and senior healthcare job adverts across the continent. Southern Africa accounts for 25 listings, followed by East Africa with 12, Central Africa with eight, North Africa with six and West Africa with four, all based in Nigeria.
The World Health Organisation and South Africa’s Grey’s Hospital each list seven roles, covering health data, clinical-trial regulation, specialist medicine and nursing.
Morocco’s pharmaceutical manufacturer Sothema has six openings in regulatory affairs, quality, marketing, data and finance. Amref International University lists four research and innovation roles in Kenya.
Full list…Read more (2 min)
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South Africa opens a facility to scale local medicine manufacturing
Events
🗓️ Attend the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Conference in Nigeria (Nov 7)
🗓️ Join the Global Health Supply Chain Summit in Ethiopia (Nov 17)
🗓️ Attend the International Conference on Public Health in Africa in Ethiopia (Nov 23)
Various
💉 Botswana agrees a 100-day plan for health financing reforms
💉 South Sudan targets 3.9 million children in polio vaccination campaign
💉 DRC survivor clinics provide medical and psychological care after Ebola
Seen on LinkedIn
HealthCap Africa, a healthcare investment firm, says, “Growing businesses need more than bank loans. They need long-term investors willing to provide capital, take calculated risks, support growth and help businesses scale. This is the role private markets can play in building stronger healthcare companies.”