Panelist at “Forging Ahead, Re-building Stronger” Improving Access to Healthcare in Emerging Markets Through Partnerships and Scalable Solutions
Speaking in Abu Dhabi, for me this would be 5200 km flight lasting 6:25 hrs from Amsterdam; pre-corona obviously. Last Tuesday, February 23rd, Abu Dhabi was still 5200 km in distance, but only a few clicks away. I was excited to contribute as panelist to a lively discussion and start of multi-sectoral working groups to holistically address issues at stake in how to maintain and enhance access to care in low and middle income countries. Virtual conferences and events have become the new norm as we know, and gosh I am loving it. First of all being for environmental reasons and the other major one is the ability to allow for broader participation. However, there is one critical opportunity that a virtual conference can’t replicate…
Last Tuesday I was thankful to be invited as panelist at the forum: “Forging Ahead, Rebuild Stronger” by The Center for Global Health and Development and the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court. In collaboration with UN Agencies, NGOs, investors, governments and several development finance corporations the focus was “to improve access to healthcare in emerging markets by driving support for innovative partnerships and healthcare solutions that can be scaled”.
Improving Critical Supply Chains to Strengthen Healthcare Systems
The first day (Monday 23rd of February 2021) of the forum focused on “Innovative Financing Mechanisms to Address Workforce Shortages and Capacity Building. The second day, Tuesday, focused on “Improving Critical Supply Chains to Strengthen Healthcare Systems and Address Health Security”. A topic close to my heart as many of you know, and one of the reasons behind Solvoz. Events like COVID-19 not only highlight deep inequalities in access to healthcare products and services, but also the weaknesses in global supply chains. The panel was hosted by Joanne Manrique (President of the Centre of Global Health and Diplomacy (GHD)) . At the start Joanne Manrique explained that interruptions in the normal patterns of flow of supplies and service are affecting the critical functioning of society and access to health, but also leading to erosion of regional security and social order. In her opening statement, Tala Al-Ramahi (Associate Director at Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court) and Joanne explained that we need new ways of thinking more holistically about manufacturing, secure storage and movement of quality healthcare products in a manner that increases access, lowers cost, and reduces risks of shortage and unfair competition. In addition, in the opening it was stated, there is plenty of money, but a lack of opportunities. Shanaz Rauff (Investment leader at PG Impact Investment) explained about how investors like PG Impact Investment are working in this area. In short, there definitely is momentum, but we all have to build that momentum to assure access to health care for all.
Saving lives, communities and economies
Dr. Raji Tajudeen (Head of the Public Health Institutes and Research division of Africa CDC) opened the forum and set the context. Together with a video statement of the Director of Africa CDC Dr. John Nkengasong, Dr Raji Tajudeen address the importance of not only safe lives, but also communities and economies. Holistic and responsibly address the issues at stake.
Pradeep Kakkattil (Director of Programme Partnerhips and Fundraising at UNAIDS) addressed the issue as to how we operate in the health sector; all in silos. This does not allow for cross-over learning, innovations to scale, allowing for system change to happen. In addition it leads to a disconnect between innovations and sector specialists. Dr. André Ilbawi (Technical Advisor at WHO) pointed at partnerships, and that multi-sectorality shouldn’t be an outcome alone, but be seen as a model, in order to really improve. But also that we should start to leverage from multi-sectoralism. Nazeem Mohamed (Deputy Chair of the Federation of African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association) made clear calls for the localization of manufacturing of supplies. Dr. Tom Pulles (Vice President and Head of Medical Affairs & Patient Advocacy at UltraGenyx Europe) raised the questions on how to access supply chain knowledge to get things where they need to go. Mark Sullivan (Founder & Director of Medicines for Global Health) expressed the importance of developing affordable medicines for people that needs them most; since access to medicine (and hence good health) is a basic human right. Other panelist presented case studies and great examples of access to health.
Open-Access knowledge and Last Mile Delivery as a Service
During the discussion I made a call for open-access knowledge. If we are to bridge gaps, if we are to secure access to healthcare, improve supply chains; knowledge should not be locked within an organisation, institution or entity, but rather shared in order to improve public good. Fix the disconnect, by providing open-access knowledge systematically. It also gave me the option to present our work with Solvoz and the Solvoz Foundation: Allowing to search differently, by a need with relevant criteria in order to find best-fit solutions, in a free online catalogue. In addition, technology has never been so ready as we experience today, to support system change in our sectors. It is time to start leveraging from this. Partnerships are definitely the way forward. As final statement I made a call that we all address the issues around last mile delivery; but by now it is time to start seeing last mile delivery as a service. We have to deal with it as it being a service. By doing so we are also systematically investing in economies, in societies and ultimately investing in the benefit of everyone.
I am excited and thankful that the Centre of Global Health and Diplomacy also selected Solvoz to be one of the entries of the forthcoming financial book following this forum. To enable partnerships and collaborations that allow for system change, open-access knowledge and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement in our sector.
We “meet”, we talk, we don’t shake hands
Thanks to all fellow panelist of all the topics and insights shared during the session, that lasted two hours, but was way to short. It certainly felt as a start. A start of new ways of partnering and addressing the issue more systematically, holistically and responsibly. For those that started to wonder by now, what is that critical opportunity that a virtual conference can’t replicate… The one thing that I missed… after speaking or joining a panel at an in-person, non-virtual, event, it is only the start when the panel time is up. We meet, we talk, we shake hands. We discuss, we continue, we share. While it certainly felt it was only the start taking place at the forum. Pressing the ‘leave meeting now’ button was strange. That split second, I was again alone in an office, not able to raise the questions I had to some panelist but most importantly see and meet those that were listening. Able to meet you, to discuss, learn what you thought and start new partnerships, new collaborations or make connections within your network to support others.
If you did attend, please reach out to me, I would relish to learn from you, and extend the virtual conference into digital handshakes, a digital meetup and digital talk. To discuss, share and potentially start new partnerships.