The economic downturn and investment in health in Africa

[Business Action for Africa]

Brenda D. Colatrella
Executive Director, Corporate Responsibility & Global Policy Support, Merck & Co., Inc.

The collapse of global financial markets and the resulting economic crisis are affecting more and more sectors of the world’s economy as we face the biggest economic downturn in recent history. The global slowdown in growth comes at a time when investments in service delivery and health capacity-building in Africa by private, public, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are making good progress in addressing the complex health issues that Africa faces.

A primary challenge is the HIV/AIDS epidemic, one of the most significant threats to Africa’s ongoing economic growth and development. But progress has been made on treatment and the global community is mobilizing and scaling up resources to tackle this devastating pandemic. In 2000, the Government of Botswana, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Merck & Co., Inc./The Merck Company Foundation established the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP) to address HIV/AIDS in Botswana. As of March 2009, approximately 125,000 people were on treatment, and Botswana is one of the few countries in the world to have achieved universal access to HIV medicines. ACHAP demonstrates the value of collective action. Yet there is still much that needs to be done.

The current economic crisis may derail some investment and assistance plans as many institutions face declining resources. But for most African countries, the need for development assistance remains critical, particularly if progress made in achieving the Millennium Development Goals is to be sustained.

One of the most successful mechanisms for addressing global health challenges has been public-private partnerships. Partnerships among governments, NGOs and the private sector, with each bringing its comparative advantage to bear on issues of critical importance, are helping to realize measurable improvements in public health in the developing world. Bringing together stakeholders who have expertise and resources that can contribute to solutions has facilitated the development of comprehensive approaches that yield sustainable impact.
The need for health infrastructure, including human resources for health, that is scalable, replicable and sustainable is one of the highest priorities in global health today. One example of how Merck is addressing the need for strengthened health capacity in Africa is the Merck Vaccine Network – Africa, where partners are leveraging private-sector skills to develop sustainable immunization training programs in Africa.

The global health agenda is now at a moment of uncertainty. It has never been more essential to establish a global health agenda that preserves the pivotal gains made in the last few years, while charting a way forward in the new environment. Private sector efforts to development challenges must not only be sustained, but must be more efficient, effective and integrated. This economic reality also demands that developing world governments take additional leadership in building a sustainable future for their populations. Perhaps the toughest challenge will be identifying where to focus resources to achieve the greatest impact.

And the value of public-private partnerships has never been greater. Public-private partnerships need to be scaled up, not back, to maintain momentum towards the Millennium Development Goals. The current climate of constrained resources highlights the need for the private sector, and other stakeholders, to continue to invest in global health in a manner that is increasingly strategic, targeted and accountable.
Merck Vaccine Network – Africa

Through the Merck Vaccine Network, centers have been created in Kenya, Mali, Uganda and Zambia, providing hands-on training in vaccine management and immunization services. Merck and our partners share expertise and best practices for vaccine storage, supply chain management and forecasting. These training efforts are built on partnerships with key stakeholders, including Ministries of Health, the World Health Organization and UNICEF.

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