H3D Foundation signs partnership with APN to build pharmaceutical R&D capacity in Africa

Pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) on the African continent is set for a welcome boost following the signing of a partnership deal between African Pharmaceutical Network (APN), a Pan-African network of pharmaceutical industry professionals, stakeholders and organisations and the Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Foundation, an organization working to unlock the potential of sustainable drug discovery R&D in Africa. 

To safeguard Africa’s public health systems, there is a need to guarantee reliable access to safe, effective and quality pharmaceutical products. One of the ways to achieve this is through bolstering local pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. This is, of course, dependent on a competent workforce, enabling policies and a responsive ecosystem able to drive the requisite financing towards these advances. 

Through their new partnership, APN and H3D Foundation will collaborate on building capacity for pharmaceutical professionals who will also be able to lead pharmaceutical systems strengthening efforts on the continent. The partnership will also deliver on strategic policy interventions, knowledge sharing opportunities and advocacy priorities towards an enabling ecosystem in the African pharmaceutical sector.

“Considering the pressing global health challenges on the continent, there is a need for pragmatic approaches and solutions driven by indigents to address these shortfalls. By setting up a platform to unlock this capability, APN is on the next frontier to foster strategic partnerships with like-minded institutions like H3D foundation to spur this growth,” says Dr Odhiambo David, Curator of APN. 

“Since launching in 2019, the H3D Foundation has been working to bolster Africa’s nascent R&D capability through strategic and innovative capacity building and policy shaping interventions across the continent,” says Professor Kelly Chibale, CEO and Chairperson of the H3D Foundation. “We look forward to working with APN to build capacity and strengthen pharmaceutical systems across the continent.”