Funded and initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development
Cooperation, this buffer stock will offer a fall-back service to HIV/AIDS
treatment programmes in Africa. The Ministry has contracted the Dutch not-for
profit organization IDA Solutions and its South African subsidiary AA4A to
implement the new service. Critical ARVs, diagnostics and supplies will be
provided to HIV/AIDS treatment programmes that have unexpected shortages or
service interruptions. The service will be able to mobilize stock within 24
hours and reach 80% of Sub Saharan Africa destinations within one week. First
orders can be placed as of the end of this month.
"All products available from the buffer stock service will comply with
either WHO or FDA quality standards and are included in the Standard Treatment
Guidelines of the receiving countries", states Henk den Besten, Managing
Director of IDA Solutions. "Because this facility is bonded products do not
formally enter South African territory. This means that the products do not
require registration with the MCC and, perhaps more significantly, generic
versions of products patented in South Africa are also going to be
available".
In order to ensure the timely delivery of emergency shipments, AA4A has
entered into a public private partnership with the black empowered South African
pharmaceutical wholesale organization Motswedi. AA4A's Celestine Kumire, who
left his native Zimbabwe to become General Manager of AA4A, says that "this
bonded facility is the first of it kind in Africa. It is managed by Africans in
support of the work by Africans and is established with the ultimate aim to help
save the lives of Africans suffering from HIV/AIDS."
During last week's London meeting on "Effective Interventions and the
Contribution Of The Private Sector", the Dutch Ambassador for HIV/AIDS, Mr.
Paul Bekkers, offered the use of this facility to other donors, including
PEPFAR and the newly established International Drug Purchasing Facility (UNITAD).
"When programmes scale up treatment activities, managing the supply chain
becomes increasingly complex", says Ambassador Bekkers, "but with this
new initiative we want to make sure that program managers have a place to turn
to if they face unexpected product shortages. Indeed, this buffer stock facility
will provide a safety-net function so that patients do not miss their daily
dosages."
About IDA-Solutions & AA4A
IDA Solutions is a Netherlands-based not-for-profit organization that
specializes in pharmaceutical supply chain management in developing countries.
The organization was set up and is currently directed by long time
pharmaceutical supply specialist Henk den Besten and his team. IDA Solutions
provides procurement support and offers consultancy and training on topics
related to the various aspects of pharmaceutical supply chain management.
In early 2005, ARV Access for Africa (AA4A) was established as an affiliate
office in South Africa to carry out training on the Supply Chain Management of
HIV/AIDS Medicines and Supplies. AA4A will be responsible for the operational
management of the buffer stock service.
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