Ninety-five percent of malaria cases occur on the African continent¹, yet most malaria medicines are produced a long way from Africa. This leaves the continent disproportionately dependent on imports. Severe vulnerabilities in this approach were revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Key actors in African public health and manufacturing are working with MMV to strengthen the local supply of antimalarial medicines. This includes a collaboration with Africa CDC to enhance supply security, facilitate equitable access and support the manufacture of quality-assured finished pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients.  

MMV is also working with several individual African manufacturers to support the quality approval process for their products. In 2022, Universal Corporation Ltd. Kenya, became the first African manufacturer to gain WHO prequalification of a preventive malaria medicine (sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine), with support from MMV and Unitaid. This milestone bolsters the local supply of a preventive antimalarial to protect two underserved populations, pregnant women and infants.

1. WHO World Malaria Report 2022.