Regional Advocacy Working Group for Global Health Research and Development

Background

Africa produces about 2.0% of world research output, yet the region, as defined by UNESCO, accounts for 15.0% of the global population and 25.0% of the global disease burden. Research and development (R&D) pipelines for diseases that disproportionately affect African countries and address Africa’s unmet health needs are insufficient. The African region comprises 15.0% of the world’s population, yet only accounted for 1.1% of global investments in R&D in 2016. There were substantial disparities within the continent, with Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa contributing 65.7% of the total R&D spending. In most countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the largest source of R&D funding is the private sector. R&D in Africa is mainly funded by the public sector, with significant proportions of financing in many countries coming from international funding. Challenges that limit private sector investment include unstable political environments, poor governance, and corruption.

Evidence suggests various research output and research capacity limitations in Africa when considering a global context. Metrics that reflect this include university rankings, number of researchers, number of publications, clinical trials networks and pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity. Within the continent there are substantial regional disparities. Incentivizing investment is crucial to foster current and future research output and research capacity.

In this perspective, it is important to develop and implement coordination platforms where African actors involved in Global Health Research and Development and more broadly in public health will have the opportunity to reflect together on the challenges facing Africa.

Creating a regional working group regrouping like-minded partners from NGOs, CSOs, academic institutions, research institutions and private sector to advance policies to accelerate the creation of new drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, medical devices and other tools that bring healthy lives within reach for all people. Our focus will be to spark collaboration around the need for advocacy for increased investment and advancing policies to accelerate the R&D of new health technologies that address critical health challenges, such as HIV/AIDs, malaria, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, and other neglected diseases.

Roles and Responsibilities

Mission

The mission of the Regional Working Group is to support actions to achieve disease elimination goals through increased funding for research and development.

The Regional Advocacy Working Group aims to celebrate successes, influence policies and practices, consolidate knowledge, use, and showcase innovative approaches for health innovation in Africa.

Goal and Objectives

The Regional Advocacy Working Group is intended to be a platform that any NGOs, CSOs, academia, research institutions and aligned private sector companies working in advocacy and public health can join. It aims to provide an exchange and communication framework for actors to share knowledge and information on ways to best engage in R&D across the continent. More specifically the Working Group aims to:

• Enhance aligned support to countries in global health research and development.

• Address specific technical issues, topics, and gaps in countries including development and harmonization of tools and standards, where necessary.
• Define a common advocacy agenda for the region that can be translate it into tangible collective action.
• Identify key research priorities to advance regional advocacy around health system strengthening.
• Facilitate access to resources and tools to members.
• Ensure availability of policy and regulatory framework of R&D at national and regional level.
• Catalyze collective action in countries.
• Document best practices and learning.
• Operationalize regional and countries orientations.
• Ensure effective dissemination and use of standards and tools.
• Ensure effective south -South cooperation through collaboration with other platforms.
• Increase efficiency in the use of investments in country M&E.

Modalities of cooperation

• The Regional Advocacy Working Group will operate on the principles of voluntarism, consensus-building and open dialogue.
• Activities would be determined based on a primary goal of improving health living conditions of African population and to strengthen research around health systems issues in Africa.

Benefits for Members

• The regional working group will allow members to have access to and share knowledge with experts across the continent.
• Members will have access to mechanisms to eliminate duplication of actions/ strategies.
• Through the platform, partners can mutualize resources beyond what would be possible when working independently.

List of Potential Participants

• NGO/CSOs
• Regional civil society networks
• Medias
• Academia
• Research institutions
• Private sector
• National Diseases control programs
• Departments of research in the Ministries in charge of research such as Ministries of Higher Education and/or Ministries in charge of scientific research
• Section of academies in charge of the health sector

How to Apply

Write to sophietou.diop@speakupafrica.org with copy to info@speakupafrica.org by May 27.