The 6th Nikkei Asia Africa Conference on Communicable Diseases 2019 The 6th Nikkei Asia Africa Conference on Communicable Diseases 2019

SPEECH & TALK SESSION

KEYNOTE SPEECH 1,2 & TALK SESSION
Keynote Speeches from 2 Laureates of the Third Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
Moderator: Dr. Takao Toda Ph.D.Vice President for Human Security and Global Health, Japan International
Cooperation Agency

Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum

Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum
General Director of National Institute
for Biomedical Research(INRB),
Professor of Microbiology,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa

Dr. Muyembe has led the fight against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In explaining a dramatic decrease in the incidence of Ebola he said, “Up to 2017, we carried out simple public health measures such as isolating patients and having people wear protective clothing but recently with the appearance of new drugs and vaccines, the strategy against Ebola has changed”. He also mentioned that, in collaboration with the WHO, a clinical trial to confirm the efficacy and safety of a new treatment was in progress and expressed hope saying, “Ebola is now a treatable disease and in the near future, we should be able to prevent it.”

Dr. Omaswa, who next took the stage, stated that the number of health care workers (HCW) per population in Africa was at most 1/10 of that in Western countries. He said, “Through standardized training, we have to enable HCW to work anywhere in the world.”

Dr. Francis Gervase Omaswa

Dr. Francis Gervase Omaswa
Executive Director and founder,
African Centre for Global Health
and Social Transformation (ACHEST)

In the talk session that followed, Dr. Takao Toda (JICA) who acted as moderator, raised question about the shortage of human and other resources. Dr. Omaswa replied, “It is important for everyone to value health and to be interested in playing a role.” And Dr. Muyembe said, “It is important to raise capabilities through technology and for this purpose, partnership is crucial.”

TALK SESSION

SPECIAL SESSION
Improving outcomes through public-private partnerships in health: achievements and challenges
Moderator: Mr. Andrew Jack Global education editor, Financial Times

In this session, Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa (Chair of the Board, HGPI); Dr. Seth Berkley, (CEO, Gavi); Dr. Yashuhiro Suzuki (Chief Medical and Global Health Officer, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare); and Ms. Catherine Kaseri Ohura (CEO, GHIT Fund) took the stage to discuss the achievements of P3 as well as their future.

Ms. Ohura mentioned that the GHIT Fund operated according to a P3 setup with the Japanese government contributing half and Japanese and foreign pharmaceutical companies contributing 20% of funding. Dr. Berkley was proud of the success of a pull mechanism used by Gavi. It had achieved the vaccination of over 700 million children, produced profits for the pharmaceutical industry and reduced vaccine prices for developing countries.

A point in common among the presenters during the session was emphasis on the importance of partnerships among government, industry and others. In response to a question requesting suggestions for the next stage of P3, Ms. Ohura and Dr. Kurokawa mentioned the importance of action, Dr. Berkley the necessity of a global viewpoint and Dr. Suzuki that activities by NGOs were crucial.

SPECIAL SPEECH 1,2
1.Speech by IFPMA Director General

Mr. Thomas B. Cueni

Mr. Thomas B. Cueni,
Director General,
International Federation
of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers
& Associations (IFPMA)

Mr. Cueni assumed that UHC, similar to that in Japan, would be realized in many African countries in the future, and said, “We have to get out of our comfort zone and move forwards.”

2.Ambassador for TICAD and Gavi CEO
Moderator: Mr. Ryoji Noritake CEO and Board Member, Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)

In the discussion among Mr. Noritake, Mr. Masahiko Kiya (Ambassador for TICAD) and Dr. Seth Berkley (CEO, Gavi), Mr. Kiya presented the main points of TICAD7 and said that the private sector would play a major role in multi- partnerships for Africa. Dr. Berkley mentioned that innovation and partnerships originating in the private sector would be crucial for the diffusion of vaccines.

SPECIAL SPEECH

GENERAL OVERVIEW
Achievements of Asia Africa Conference on Communicable Diseases 2019 and Future Role of Conference

Prof. Keizo Takemi

Prof. Keizo Takemi
Member of the House of Councillors,
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)

Under the Asia Health and Wellbeing Initiative, the government has recently drawn up a policy for promoting harmonized regulatory approvals and safety regulations throughout Asia and has been securing a budget for the reinforcement of PMDA’s international divisions and the overseas expansion of a clinical trials network of hub medical institutions.

For these circumstances, the Nikkei Asia Africa Conference on Communicable Diseases proposed an Asia clinical trials platform and discussions within government and specific policy recommendations based on a P3 framework have reached good agreement.

By securing the collaboration of many companies as well as that of government and academia in drawing up new policies, the Asia Africa Conference on Communicable Diseases has become a major initiative befitting the 21st century. In the future, in addition to being a place for discussion, I would like to see the conference expanding this role, constantly making specific policy proposals to government and international organizations that ensure that large numbers of people around the world can access proper medical care and lead healthy lives.

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