IFC Health Newsletter | January 2021

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Dear friends and colleagues,

I am pleased to share with you an interview with Francisco Marinovic, CEO of Acalis Latam, about the impact of COVID-19 on their operations in Latin America and steps they have taken to safeguard residents’ mental and physical health, as well as updates about our latest thought leadership pieces and links to our newest expert webinars.

Regards,

Elena Sterlin
Head of Health and Education, IFC

Expert Voices: An interview with Francisco Marinovic

Read the interview with Francisco Marinovic, CEO of Acalis Latam, here.

Thought Leadership

A blog by Femi Akinrebiyo, IFC’s Global Manager, Upstream—Manufacturing, Agribusiness & Services, highlights how a South Africa-based logistics company is stepping up to address the challenge that COVID-19 is posing to countries with already weak healthcare systems.

How to ensure that vaccines for COVID-19 are available equitably to all countries, particularly the poorest, was discussed in a video interview with Elena Sterlin, IFC Senior Manager for Health and Education, and Dr. Muhammad Pate, World Bank’s Global Director of Health.

Webinar Series

Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing | November 10

Industry experts outlined the biggest hurdles to establishing a local drugs manufacturing industry in emerging markets and discussed when is it appropriate to promote more local production.

EPiHC—Ethic Principles in Health Care | November 18

EPiHC, launched in June 2020, provides private healthcare providers, payors, and investors worldwide with principles for strengthening ethical behavior in health, needed for improving quality and access.This session featured signatories sharing perspectives on the importance of ethical business practices in healthcare. To learn more and sign up for EPiHC, visit here.

Public-Private Partnerships in Diagnostics | December 16

Leading laboratory service companies in Africa, Europe and the Middle East discussed how governments and the private sector have joined forces to increase testing capacity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Deals

Hikma Pharmaceuticals | MENA

IFC has approved a $200 million loan package for existing client Hikma Pharmaceuticals to help ensure smooth deliveries of medicines across the Middle East and North Africa amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The package, which will address Hikma’s working capital needs, is part of IFC’s $8 billion fast-track facility that supports clients in sustaining jobs and economic activity during the pandemic and beyond.

BioE | India

To expand access to low-cost vaccines in developing countries, IFC has approved a $30 million loan to India-based pharmaceuticals manufacturer, Biological E. Limited (BioE). The financing will help the company, an existing IFC client, to increase capacity to make routine vaccines for childhood immunizations and potentially a COVID-19 vaccine when developed.