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In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week.

December 19, 2022 by Hannah Sachs-Wetstone

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Last week, Medicines for Malaria Venture and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) signed a memorandum of understanding for providing technical support to African manufacturers for the development of antimalarial drugs. The support is aimed at helping improve the quality of antimalarial products to meet World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) standards in order to increase the use of locally produced drugs and make them eligible for bulk procurement by global institutions, as well as to address the high burden of malaria on the continent. This effort is also part of a wider initiative to increase African manufacturing after COVID-19 uncovered the risks of the continent’s over-reliance on imported drugs. 

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) are investing US$30 million in Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited to support the manufacturing of routine and outbreak vaccines for Africa. Through a ten-year agreement with the Serum Institute of India, Aspen will use the investment to manufacture and distribute the routine Pneumococcal, Rotavirus, Polyvalent Meningococcal, and Hexavalent vaccines, as well as support technology-transfer activities and build regional vaccine manufacturing capacity for potential future outbreaks. The investment underlies a wider effort to ensure vaccine manufacturing capacity and supply of affordable vaccines on the continent. 

Joining a growing call for action in response to the increasing threat of antibiotic resistance, WHO recently published the Global antimicrobial resistance and use surveillance system (‎GLASS)‎ report: 2022, which identified a high level of antibiotic resistance in bacteria that can cause fatal bloodstream infections and an increasing level of resistance in bacteria that can cause common infections. The report echoes a wider concern about the need for the development of new antibiotics for newborn babies to address the up to 570,000 deaths and estimated three million cases of neonatal sepsis each year, many of which occur in the absence of effective antibiotics due to rising antimicrobial resistance.

About the author

Hannah Sachs-WetstoneGHTC

Hannah supports advocacy and communications activities and member coordination for GHTC. Her role includes developing and disseminating digital communications, tracking member and policy news, engaging coalition members, and organizing meetings and events.Prior to joining GHTC,...read more about this author