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The Star
13 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Indonesia mobilises cross-border efforts to combat malaria in Papua
Papua New Guinea accounts for 26.4 percent of all malaria cases in the Asia Pacific. - Antara via The Jakarta Post/ANN JAKARTA: Amid the geographical and social complexities of Papua, new hope emerges through the formation of the Papua Malaria Consortium, a cross-sector strategic alliance born from the commitment of governors and the support of stakeholders to accelerate malaria elimination. "If we want Indonesia to be malaria-free, Papua is the key," said Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin during a press conference on Tuesday (June 17), held on the sidelines of the 9th Asia Pacific Leaders' Summit on Malaria Elimination in Bali, which brought together over 250 participants from 23 countries and regions and international organisations. He and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Ribka Haluk led a meeting with six governors from across Papua to develop a more targeted, cross-sector strategy. Papua, the easternmost region of Indonesia, accounts for over 93 per cent of the country's total malaria cases and has now become the epicentre of Indonesia's fight to eliminate the disease. According to Budi, elimination in Papua is not only a health target but also a step toward achieving social justice and strengthening an inclusive health system. Sarthak Das, chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance, expressed support for Indonesia's move to prioritise Papua in malaria elimination efforts. "Strong local leadership and cross-country collaboration are key to achieving the Asia Pacific region's malaria-free target by 2030," he said. This local commitment is also reinforced by the Bilateral Joint Action Plan signed between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea on Monday. The cross-border cooperation framework aims to ensure that malaria control efforts are carried out in an integrated and equitable manner in areas that are geographically and epidemiologically interconnected. Papua New Guinea accounts for 26.4 percent of all malaria cases in the Asia Pacific. Therefore, Das added, Indonesia's ability to gain control in Papua would be a vital signal that similar success is possible in Papua New Guinea. The Global Fund, one of the key funding partners, affirmed its commitment to supporting Indonesia's efforts focused on malaria elimination in Papua. "I acknowledge the significant progress made by Indonesia in its fight against malaria, and the Global Fund is fully committed to supporting its partners in the region to combat and eliminate malaria across the Asia Pacific," said Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund. Sands also welcomed the launch of "Indonesia's Call to End Malaria" at the high-level forum, a national initiative to push for comprehensive malaria elimination. Indonesia's efforts go beyond commitment. The government is expanding the distribution of bed nets, strengthening surveillance systems, increasing the number and capacity of local health workers, and implementing community-based approaches that respect local Papuan wisdom, alongside treatment and vaccine development. Although challenges remain, especially in terms of geographical access, climate change, and population mobility, these joint efforts show that malaria elimination is no longer a distant dream. With strong political will, international support, and data-driven strategies, Papua could become an inspiring malaria elimination success story for the region. - Xinhua
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
When developing countries band together, lifesaving drugs become cheaper and easier to buy − with trade-offs
Procuring lifesaving drugs is a daunting challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. Essential treatments are often neither available nor affordable in these nations, even decades after the drugs entered the market. Prospective buyers from these countries face a patent thicket, where a single drug may be covered by hundreds of patents. This makes it costly and legally difficult to secure licensing rights for manufacturing. These buyers also face a complex and often fragile supply chain. Many major pharmaceutical firms have little incentive to sell their products in unprofitable markets. Quality assurance adds another layer of complexity, with substandard and counterfeit drugs widespread in many of these countries. Organizations such as the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool have effectively increased the supply of generic versions of patented drugs. But the problems go beyond patents or manufacturing – how medicines are bought are also crucially important. Buyers for low- and middle-income countries are often health ministries and community organizations on tight budgets that have to negotiate with sellers that may have substantial market power and far more experience. We are economists who study how to increase access to drugs across the globe. Our research found that while pooling orders for essential medicines can help drive down costs and ensure a steady supply to low- and middle-income countries, there are trade-offs that require flexibility and early planning to address. Understanding these trade-offs can help countries better prepare for future health emergencies and treat chronic conditions. One strategy low-income countries are increasingly adopting to improve treatment access is 'pooled procurement.' That's when multiple buyers coordinate purchases to strengthen their collective bargaining power and reduce prices for essential medicines. For example, pooling can help buyers meet the minimum batch size requirements some suppliers impose that countries purchasing individually may not satisfy. Countries typically rely on four models for pooled drug procurement: One method, called decentralized procurement, involves buyers purchasing directly from manufacturers. Another method, called international pooled procurement, involves going through international institutions such as the Global Fund's Pooled Procurement Mechanism or the United Nations. Countries may also purchase prescription drugs through their own central medical stores, which are government-run or semi-autonomous agencies that procure, store and distribute medicines on behalf of national health systems. This method is called centralized domestic procurement. Finally, countries can also go through independent nonprofits, foundations, nongovernmental organizations and private wholesalers. We wanted to understand how different procurement methods affect the cost of and time it takes to deliver drugs for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, because those three infectious diseases account for a large share of deaths and cases worldwide. So we analyzed over 39,000 drug procurement transactions across 106 countries between 2007 and 2017 that were funded by the Global Fund, the largest multilateral funder of HIV/AIDS programs worldwide. We found that pooled procurement through international institutions reduced prices by 13% to 20% compared with directly buying from drug manufacturers. Smaller buyers and those purchasing drugs produced by only a small number of manufacturers saw the greatest savings. In comparison, purchasing through domestic pooling offered less consistent savings, with larger buyers seeing greater price advantages. The Global Fund and the United Nations were especially effective at lowering the prices of older, off-patent drugs. Cost savings from pooled drug procurement may come with trade-offs. While the Global Fund reduced unexpected delivery delays by 28%, it required buyers to place orders much earlier. This results in longer anticipated procurement lead time between ordering and delivery – an average of 114 days more than that of direct purchases. In contrast, domestic pooled procurement shortened lead times by over a month. Our results suggest a core tension: Pooled procurement improves prices and reliability but can reduce flexibility. Organizations that facilitate pooled procurement tend to prioritize medicines that can be bought at high volume, limiting the availability of other types of drugs. Additionally, the longer lead times may not be suitable for emergency situations. With the spread of COVID-19, several large armed conflicts and tariff wars, governments have become increasingly aware of the fragility of the global supply chain. Some countries, such as Kenya, have sought to reduce their dependence on international pooling since 2005 by investing in domestic procurement. But a shift toward domestic self-sufficiency is a slow and difficult process due to challenges with quality assurance and large-scale manufacturing. It may also weaken international pooled systems, which rely on broad participation to negotiate better terms with suppliers. Interestingly, we found little evidence that international pooled procurement influences pricing for the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a major purchaser of HIV treatments for developing countries. PEPFAR-eligible products do not appear to benefit more from international pooled procurement than noneligible ones. However, domestic procurement institutions were able to secure lower prices for PEPFAR-eligible products. This suggests that the presence of a large donor such as PEPFAR can cut costs, particularly when countries manage procurement internally. While international organizations such as the Medicines Patent Pool and the Global Fund can address upstream barriers such as patents and procurement in the global drug supply chain, other institutions are essential for ensuring that medicines actually reach patients. The U.S. Agency for International Development had played a significant role in delivering HIV treatment abroad through PEPFAR. The Trump administration's decision in February 2025 to cut over 90% of USAID's foreign aid contracts amounted to a US$60 billion reduction in overall U.S. assistance globally. An estimated hundreds of thousands of deaths are already happening, and millions more will likely die. The World Health Organization warned that eight countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nigeria and Ukraine, could soon run out of HIV treatments due to these aid cuts. In South Africa, HIV services have already been scaled back, with reports of mass layoffs of health workers and HIV clinic closures. These downstream cracks can undercut the gains from efforts to make procuring drugs more accessible if the drugs can't reach patients. Because HIV, tuberculosis and malaria often share the same treatment infrastructure – including drug procurement and distribution networks, laboratory systems, data collection, health workers and community-based services – disruption in the management of one disease can ripple across the others. Researchers have warned of a broader unraveling of progress across these infectious diseases, describing the fallout as a potential 'bloodbath' in the global HIV response. Research shows that supporting access to treatments around the world doesn't just save lives abroad. It also helps prevent the next global health crisis from reaching America's doorstep. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Lucy Xiaolu Wang, UMass Amherst and Nahim Bin Zahur, Queen's University, Ontario Read more: Pharma's expensive gaming of the drug patent system is successfully countered by the Medicines Patent Pool, which increases global access and rewards innovation Cutting HIV aid means undercutting US foreign and economic interests − Nigeria shows the human costs Grassroots AIDS activists fought for and won affordable HIV treatments around the world – but PEPFAR didn't change governments and pharma The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Bloomberg
13-06-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
South Africa's Ramaphosa to Lead Global Fund's HIV Replenishment
South Africa will lead the next refunding exercise for the Global Fund, raising money for the international partnership fighting AIDS after the US cut healthcare support to the continent. Winnie Byanyima, executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, announced South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's agreement to take charge of the upcoming three-year funding cycle at a press conference in Johannesburg on Friday.
GMA Network
05-06-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
UN urges stronger HIV response as cases among Filipino youth surge by 500%
Amid a staggering 500% increase in HIV cases among young Filipinos, the United Nations has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Philippine government in addressing what is now being considered a national public health emergency. Arnaud Peral, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, expressed deep concern over the alarming rise in HIV infections, particularly among individuals aged 15 to 25. 'We have been expressing concern for quite some time about the increasing numbers,' Peral said, noting that the UN, through its joint program UNAIDS and agencies like UNFPA and UNICEF, has been working closely with the Philippines' health department. According to the DOH, over 6,700 new HIV cases were recorded from January to April 2025, averaging 56 new cases daily. This marks a 44% increase from the same period last year, with youth accounting for the bulk of new infections Peral acknowledged the limitations in international funding but emphasized that the Philippines has been receiving support through mechanisms like the Global Fund. 'The resources from the international community are limited, but we have been accessing the Global Fund for the Philippines for a few years,' he said. As the country approaches the mid-term review of its national development plans, Peral stressed the importance of reassessing current strategies. 'The scale of the challenge is also challenging us—to unpack what it means and establish a proper strategy to address it,' he explained. He confirmed that HIV will be a key priority moving forward, with updated data and strategies to be reflected in the upcoming Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 'We will be looking at the latest numbers. That will be published pretty soon in the VNR,' Peral said. 'And definitely on HIV, it's going to be a priority.' The Department of Health has already called on President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to declare a national public health emergency, citing the Philippines as having the highest number of new HIV cases in the Western Pacific region. As the crisis deepens, Peral emphasized the need for a united response: 'We are now reviewing how we can support this strategy and national emergency. The whole of society must come together to address this.' — BM, GMA Integrated News
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Millions of doses of ‘pandemic-ending' HIV jab at risk over Trump's aid cuts
Professor Linda-Gail Bekker recalls having 'shivers' when she found out that not one single woman given a revolutionary new jab in her medical trial had caught HIV. She told a global Aids summit last year that she 'literally burst into tears.' Now, she tells The Independent, that emotion has turned into an 'acute sense of despair '. The funding to get lenacapavir – a twice-yearly preventative jab that has been described as the nearest thing we have to an HIV vaccine – out to at least two million people around the globe is in question amid the turmoil accompanying Donald Trump decision to slash US aid spending. Lenacapavir stops HIV from replicating meaning that, as long as someone is on the drug, they are almost totally protected from developing the virus if they are exposed to it. Prof Bekker's study found a 96 per cent reduction in HIV overall - but in the arm of the trial looking at women and adolescent girls, there were no infections at all. Global funders, led by Pepfar and the Global Fund, in December promised to secure enough doses of the jab to protect at least two million people over three years. Its manufacturer Gilead says it will sell these at no profit, though it has not made the cost of a dose public. Gilead has also signed agreements with six pharmaceutical companies in India, Pakistan, Egypt, and the US to allow them to make generic versions of the drug in order to increase supply and drive down the cost of the jab. A significant chunk of the money to fund the doses of lenacapavir was set to come from the US-led global Aids response programme, the US President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar). But this funding, and the future of Pepfar itself, is now uncertain. 'In all of the excitement [of the trial results] we were thinking, well, what do you do with [the] doses? What's the best way to use it?' Prof Bekker says. 'Suddenly, that is very much up in the air'. The other main funding source, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has said that it still aims to fund the doses of lenacapavir. Speaking to The Independent, however, Global Fund executive director Peter Sands tempers this by saying the success of his organisation's funding round coming up later this year would, 'determine how much scope we have for this'. The US was the Global Fund's biggest donor. Sands says that while he would 'love to say' the Global Fund could fill the gap, this would be contingent on how much money is raised from governments and private donors. "Despite all the uncertainties both around Pepfar and our own future funding, we are still very keen to deliver on the ambition,' Sands says. But, more funding than they have currently been pledged will be needed to, 'realise the full potential of lenacapavir'. At the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s annual decision-making meeting which concluded late last month, the United Nations' Aids agency (UNAIDS) called for 'urgent action to avoid millions of avoidable HIV infections and Aids-related deaths,' saying this included, 'access to long-acting injectables for HIV prevention which are almost 100 per cent effective at preventing infections' – a nod to lenacapavir. 'A missed opportunity' Prof Bekker played a crucial role in trialling the jab in eight countries including her home country of South Africa, and she was on the brink of seeing that breakthrough rolled out – it could have been in people's arms by the end of this year. Long-acting jabs like lenacapavir are not only about protecting individuals, they are a crucial part of ending the Aids pandemic, Prof Bekker explains. 'A six-monthly injectable is as close as we can get at this moment to a vaccine,' Prof Bekker says. Just like with a vaccine, it can help keep whole populations safe by stopping vulnerable people from catching the virus and then potentially spreading the virus to more people. 'You finally have something that could actually bring us to a conclusion [of the Aids crisis]. 'It just feels like such a calamitous missed opportunity,' she says. Overcoming stigma A daily preventative medicine – a combination of two drugs known collectively as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – is already available and is very effective. But people without reliable access to healthcare find it harder to maintain a regime that involves regular pills. Girls, young women and LGBT+ people in Southern Africa can also face questioning from family members if they have packets of daily pills in their homes which indicate they are sexually active, and it can put women in relationships at higher risk of domestic violence. A six-monthly jab on the other hand can be maintained more discreetly and with less user error. Offering lenacapavir to young women – among the hardest to reach with HIV prevention - when they book into prenatal care can also prevent them from passing the virus onto their children. 'That is a good use of money, right?' Prof Bekker says. 'You're saving two infections; one of them a lifelong infection in a child that will need antivirals for the next 70 to 75 years'. 'They are young people in front of us. We can introduce them to Republican Congressmen if needed'. A State Department spokesperson said: 'Pepfar continues to support lifesaving HIV testing, care and treatment, and prevention of mother to child transmission services approved by the Secretary of State. 'As directed by the Secretary of State all other Pepfar-funded services are being reviewed for assessment of programmatic efficiencies and consistency with United States foreign policy. Pepfar, like all assistance programmes, should be reduced over time as it achieves its mission.' Ending Aids Figures previously reported by The Independent suggest Trump's slashing of foreign aid has derailed the projected end of the Aids pandemic and could lead to four million extra deaths by 2030. The latest global figures show there were 1.3 million new HIV infections and roughly 630,00 people dying from Aids around the world in 2023. Regardless of the cuts, before any doses can be made available, the drug has to be approved by regulators. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s decision is understood to be on track to approve the preventative jab on 19 June, followed by other national medicines regulators and the WHO. Before the cuts, an FDA approval would have marked the moment it would be full steam ahead to roll lenacapavir out to the people who need it most. But those approvals won't count for much if the money to pay for the drug and get it out to the people who need it doesn't materialise, as Prof Bekker fears. 'It does feel like this thing that could help us end the epidemic sooner is suddenly receding in the chaos'.
