Health practitioners believe the South African Cabinet’s decision to join the African Medicines Agency Treaty will aid in the availability of COVID-19 vaccines

South Africa’s Cabinet has approved the signing of the African Union treaty establishing the African Medicines Agency (AMA) and submitted it to Parliament for ratification.

How did the AMA cabinet ratification process unfold?

“Cabinet has approved the signing of the Treaty for the Establishment of the AMA and its submission to Parliament for ratification.  This will give effect to the treaty that was adopted by the African Union Assembly in 2019. The treaty formally establishes the AMA for the continent.

“The signing and ratifying of this treaty will advance South Africa’s global and continental commitment toward strengthening the continental regulatory system on its health products,” said the cabinet in a press statement.

South African health sector views on AMA

Throughout the COVID pandemic, the African countries’ reliance on vaccines produced by companies in other regions has been disastrous. As a result of that, African countries have remained at the back of the queue for access to COVID vaccines. MSF Access Campaign Advocacy Advisory in South Africa, Candice Sehoma, said this is excellent news for South Africa.

“We hope that other African countries will soon receive the same recognition as this may enable more African-based manufacturers to be eligible for prequalification from the World Health Organisation and therefore reach regional and global markets to help achieve sustainable vaccine production,’’ said Sehoma.

Other African states that have signed on to AMA have different perspectives on the agreement.

In order to double check the possible effectiveness and relevance of AMA in Africa, Showbiz Scope conducted research that looks at which other states are signatories to the African Medicines Agency and what has that meant for these states’ response to COVID-19.

Comparing Kenya’s position vs. South Africa on ratification of the AMA

Kenya is preparing to join the AMA alongside thirty-one other African Union member states following the Kenyan cabinet’s decision to approve the ratification of the African Union Treaty.

“KHF, which is the Health Sector Board of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), salutes the cabinet and the Ministry of Health for moving a step further towards the signing and ratification of the AMA Treaty.

The recent commitment by Moderna is a good example, and we have a good chance to scale up the commitments ten times if we push and lobby for the hosting of AMA in Kenya,” said Kenya Health Federation chairperson, Dr. Kanyenje Gakombe, in a press release.

What can SA learn from other countries that are signatories to AMA?

Showbiz Scope discovered that AU isn’t just saying that it is committed to expediting the AMA. In fact, the AU is currently collecting hosting expressions of interest from all member states, and Kenya has already forwarded its bid to host AMA headquarters. These are some of the discoveries that if SA is really committed to AMA, it should emulate.

International health industry stakeholders’ views about AMA

Cheikh Oumar Seydi and NEPAD CEO Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayak congratulated the African Union for pushing African states to adopt AMA as a new continent-wide regulator that will complement national and regional efforts to protect and promote public health in Africa.

In their article titled “Africa’s health security requires strong African regulators,” Seydi and Dr. Mayak said while safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines and treatments were developed at record speed and at unprecedented volumes, they still haven’t reached the vast majority of Africans who need them.

According to Seydi and Dr. Mayak, COVID-19 has made it clear that African nations must work together to strengthen domestic health manufacturing capacity for medical products and medical supplies.

Call for all AU member states to follow suit.

According to the AU, all member states are encouraged to sign AMA by either their Ministers of Foreign Affairs or can designate in writing their Ambassador accredited to the African Union to sign at the African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Following signature, member states are encouraged to ratify the treaty as soon as possible.

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