News & Updates
China-Africa Health Cooperation looking at Africa's pharmaceutical industry
2018/9/5 14:54:54
On August 18, over 300 representatives from China, Africa, and various international organizations held a two-day meeting on China-Africa health cooperation to look specifically at the areas of disease treatment and ways to improve the pharmaceutical industry in Africa.
In recent years, China has been assisting Africa by improving its public health systems and pharmaceutical industry with more and more research institutions getting in on the act. This has allowed local authorities to curb the spread of deadly diseases such as malaria.
In 2015, a team led by Tu Youyou, a Nobel laureate in biology, pioneered a new approach to malaria treatment. Based on her innovative research, Shanghai Fosun Pharma developed an anti-malaria medicine and saved nearly 20 million lives in more than 30 African countries.
Chinese pharmaceutical company Fosun’s foundation donating anti-malarial medicines to Zambia. /CGTN photo
Chen Qiyu, chairman of Fosun Pharma, said the pharmaceutical industry cooperation should be carried out innovatively and sustainably.
Through AI and technological innovation in bioengineering and production, as well as the efficient global supply chain, they can effectively improve the ways of drug research development, reduce the cost of production and clinical trials, which provides more cost-effective drugs for Africa.
He added the development of the pharmaceutical industry needs a global layout, the market research and development should be carried out through cooperation between different countries and regions to further create more open innovative services and management models, so as to improve the availability of drugs in Africa in the future.
Medical technology exhibition during the meeting. ?/CGTN photo
However, challenges still lie ahead. China's pharmaceutical companies will not only carry out marketing cooperation but also start producing drugs for Africa in Africa.
Its future research and development capabilities should be based on the local conditions like its strengths and local resources. All of this depends not only on cooperation between governments and enterprises but also international organizations such as obtaining the qualification of medicine from WHO.
Wu Wenda, the Deputy Director of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation China Country Office explained that in addition to enterprises' own investment and drug research, the strengthening of international supervision and management of drugs and getting qualification and financial support from international organizations are also necessary, which can not only promote the improvement of drug quality and support in research, but also provide Africa with a wider range of attention and cooperation opportunities.
The representatives at the meeting agreed that there was huge potential for cooperation between China and Africa in the pharmaceutical industry, which will help to build an efficient and effective public health system on the continent.
(Source: CGTN)
In recent years, China has been assisting Africa by improving its public health systems and pharmaceutical industry with more and more research institutions getting in on the act. This has allowed local authorities to curb the spread of deadly diseases such as malaria.
In 2015, a team led by Tu Youyou, a Nobel laureate in biology, pioneered a new approach to malaria treatment. Based on her innovative research, Shanghai Fosun Pharma developed an anti-malaria medicine and saved nearly 20 million lives in more than 30 African countries.
Chinese pharmaceutical company Fosun’s foundation donating anti-malarial medicines to Zambia. /CGTN photo
Chen Qiyu, chairman of Fosun Pharma, said the pharmaceutical industry cooperation should be carried out innovatively and sustainably.
Through AI and technological innovation in bioengineering and production, as well as the efficient global supply chain, they can effectively improve the ways of drug research development, reduce the cost of production and clinical trials, which provides more cost-effective drugs for Africa.
He added the development of the pharmaceutical industry needs a global layout, the market research and development should be carried out through cooperation between different countries and regions to further create more open innovative services and management models, so as to improve the availability of drugs in Africa in the future.
Medical technology exhibition during the meeting. ?/CGTN photo
However, challenges still lie ahead. China's pharmaceutical companies will not only carry out marketing cooperation but also start producing drugs for Africa in Africa.
Its future research and development capabilities should be based on the local conditions like its strengths and local resources. All of this depends not only on cooperation between governments and enterprises but also international organizations such as obtaining the qualification of medicine from WHO.
Wu Wenda, the Deputy Director of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation China Country Office explained that in addition to enterprises' own investment and drug research, the strengthening of international supervision and management of drugs and getting qualification and financial support from international organizations are also necessary, which can not only promote the improvement of drug quality and support in research, but also provide Africa with a wider range of attention and cooperation opportunities.
The representatives at the meeting agreed that there was huge potential for cooperation between China and Africa in the pharmaceutical industry, which will help to build an efficient and effective public health system on the continent.
(Source: CGTN)