Farid Fezoua, Global Director, Health, Education and Services, gives opening remarks during IFC’s joint event with the World Health Organization. Photo: World Bank Group
On April 16, 2024, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) addressed the pressing issue of enhancing local manufacturing capabilities for health products in developing countries at an invitation-only roundtable. This event convened manufacturers, policymakers, and representatives from international organizations and finance institutions.
Summary of the discussion
IFC and WHO have built a strong partnership focused on localization of manufacturing of medical countermeasures in developing countries.
The collaboration is rooted in a consistent and close dialogue between IFC and WHO – during a time in which the organizations have jointly convened manufactures and key stakeholders in the global health ecosystem to discuss opportunities and challenges around local manufacturing.
According to IFC’s Global Director for Health, Education and Services, Farid Fezoua, the collaboration has broken new ground to help advance the agenda on local manufacturing and preparedness for future pandemics:
“At the heart of the collaboration are joint efforts to enhance the preparedness, predictability, and visibility of private sector solutions, which are key in facing future pandemics in low-income countries.”
The collaboration between IFC and WHO builds on the individual strengths of the two institutions. IFC’s strength lies in convening the private sector and mobilizing private investments, while WHO contributes through its important global mandate on global health, strengthening ecosystems and building manufacturers’ capacity to meet regulatory standards.
Dr. Jicui Dong, WHO’s Head of the Local Production and Assistance Unit, emphasizes the synergy of the partnership:
“The partnership makes the sum larger than its parts. With strengthened ecosystems, the foundation is laid for local production to achieve quality, be sustainable, bolster pandemic preparedness and swiftly respond to surge demand.”
Background:
Over the past six months, IFC and WHO have jointly hosted local manufactures and key actors in the global health ecosystem on three occasions:
- In the Hague, during the 2nd World Local Production Forum (November 2023)
- In Nairobi, during the Africa Vaccine Manufacturing Supply Chain Forum (February 2024), and
- At the World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington DC (April 16, 2024).
Based on the dialogue at these important events with manufacturers, actions needed to facilitate investment and engagement by actors have been discussed, where solutions will be tailored to specific contexts in close dialogue with key manufactures, governments, and stakeholders.