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Just a few months ago, I made a PowerPoint presentation at a virtual conference which considered the Covid-19 and the AU 2063 agenda. My 15-minutes talk asked whether Africa can save itself vis-à-vis access to affordable treatment in d face of Covid-19 outbreak.
Unlike other countries like the US, Canada, & Israel which had used or taken step to use compulsory licensing, there was no record of any African government which had used this flexibility at that time. The default model was to rely on donor-led responses.
...and there were evidence of donation of testing kits and co into Africa by China and few other donors. In short, it appears compulsory licensing is not an option even in African countries like South Africa which has significant manufacturing capacity to use this flexibility.
I pointed out the danger in this reliance on donations from outside Africa, especially in the light of the peculiar nature of Covid-19. For instance, both Ebola & zika virus were not as widespread as Covid-19; hence, reliance on external help was possible.
With Covid-19, however, I maintained that it's every country for itself. I therefore reiterated the need for a strategically planned continental-wide collaborative approach under the auspices of the AU to boosting pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity across Africa.
I particularly underscored the important place of political will among African governments to use flexibilities, since the problem is mostly with 'using' and not 'legislating' flexibilities--- so many regional pharmaceutical manufacturing plan of actions already across Africa.
Coming back to now, remdesivir has proved to be an effective treatment against Covid-19 within a hospital setting. Now we learned that the US bought all the 500,000 copies produced which covered supplies of the firm until September. This is in spite of the platitudinous promises
...that a collective approach that will prioritize access over profit will be taken in responding to Covid-19. This can be taken as a prelude to what will happen when vaccine is finally available. It is going to be a battle to the finish, and Africa sure stands no chance.
How many more people will av 2 die of Covid-19 in Africa b4 African countries with manufacturing capacity will prioritize health over loyalty to developed country partners whch seem to be pressurizing dm behind the scene against using compulsory licensing?
