Afrigather Victoria ‒ In an additional transfer in direction of pooled procurement of important medicines and medical merchandise, Ministers of Well being from small African islands states established a secretariat and elected Mauritius because the host, taking essential steps to launch joint operations for elevated entry to reasonably priced, quality-assured and secure medicines and medical provides.
The pooled procurement programme, signed in 2020 by Cabo Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Sao Tome & Principe and Seychelles, that kind the Small Island Growing States (SIDS) from Africa, and endorsed by Madagascar, goals to coordinate the acquisition of chosen medicines and medical merchandise affordably, harmonize medicines administration techniques, enhance provider efficiency and scale back procurement workload. The programme additionally units the guiding ideas and governance construction, together with the creation of a secretariat, technical committees and a council of ministers.
The ministers, gathering for the eighth SIDS assembly in Victoria, Seychelles, took the brand new step to arrange a secretariat as they embark on the ultimate phases of the joint procurement initiative.
“Mauritius is honoured to imagine this essential duty and we thank fellow SIDS nations and Madagascar for the arrogance demonstrated in us to host the pooled medicine procurement secretariat,” mentioned Hon Kailesh Jagutpal, Minister of Well being and Wellness of Mauritius. “We’ll assume this obligation with the care and rigour that it requires for the widespread good of all individuals and nations represented.”
Pooled procurement has been on the SIDS agenda since 2017 when the nations expressed dedication to implement the initiative.
“I congratulate Mauritius on the election as host for the secretariat. This can be a win for all of us. Our distinctive place of SIDS within the African area is what brings us collectively and makes us stronger,” mentioned Cabo Verde Minister of Well being, Hon Filomena Gonçalves. “We’ll proceed to play an essential position in shifting the agenda of pooled procurement ahead and can work carefully with our companions, together with WHO.”
In the course of the 25–27 March 2024 assembly, the ministers and authorities representatives additionally agreed to strengthen collective efforts and actions on well being, together with bolstering preparedness and response to well being emergencies, strengthening well being techniques and setting up measures to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of local weather change, to which island nations are significantly weak.
“As a collective now we have come collectively to discover other ways of working so we will make our voices heard in all of the essential world arenas. Even when we don’t all the time have the capability on our personal, by means of SIDS we will do it. We could also be small, however we might be large in our actions,” mentioned Hon Peggy Vidot, Minister of Well being of the Seychelles.
The assembly was the primary for Guinea-Bissau, which has now develop into a full member of SIDS, and for Madagascar, which accepted the invitation to be a part of the SIDS Community initiative and subsequently a part of pooled procurement efforts.
“This assembly might be remembered as a milestone. We’ve had fruitful discussions and made essential choices that can have an effect on SIDS and the remainder of the area. At WHO, we are going to present technical help to SIDS to make sure the implementation of the agreed-upon actions from this assembly,” mentioned Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Well being Group Regional Director for Africa.
The SIDS assembly within the African area serves as a discussion board for a collective voice for joint inputs into world SIDS occasions, together with the upcoming Fourth Worldwide Convention on SIDS in Antigua and Barbuda, which can happen in late Might 2024.
