Pharmaceutical companies contribute to the fight against COVID-19 in SA

The Innovative Pharmaceutical Association South Africa (IPASA), representing 26 innovative research-based pharmaceutical companies, fully supports the efforts by government to flatten the curve of the COVID-19.

IPASA empathises with those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and in particular the healthcare workers and researchers working diligently daily to support patients and find lasting medical solutions to end this pandemic. IPASA believes reducing the COVID-19 outbreak is everyone’s responsibility and requires solidarity, collaboration, and innovative efforts from various stakeholders.

Solidarity Fund

The association has been working closely with the Ministry of Health, BUSA, and B4SA during these past few months, and has contributed funds to the Solidarity Fund, but also medicines and flu vaccines. Some of its member company CEOs have also volunteered their time working with the Solidarity Fund Workstreams.

“The companies which are part of IPASA are leaders in innovation, research and development of new medicines, diagnostics and devices. Therefore, the pharmaceutical industry has a critical role to play and are standing up to be counted during this crisis. Now more than ever, we need to work together and with our government to ensure we tackle this virus,” says Dr Konji Sebati, CEO of IPASA.

Contributions

Pharmaceutical companies are making meaningful contributions from a local and global perspective and will continue to do so. IPASA member companies have made the following contributions towards the fight against COVID-19:

· IPASA members have collectively contributed more than R14 million to the Solidarity Fund

· Medicines worth R 1.3 million were donated to the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital

· Assistance in facilitating the arrival of PPE, volunteer hours and food parcels to 400 companies

· Contributed R500 000 towards the Cancer Fund and R150 000 towards Rare Disease South Africa

Pharmaceutical industry responses Internationally

Several collaborations to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus are underway, hopefully a vaccine will be available by mid-2021 should clinical trials be successful.

100 million doses of hydroxychloroquine have been donated across 50 countries, even though the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine is still not confirmed

USD 20 million in grants has been dispensed to support public health initiatives designed to help communities manage challenges posed by the pandemic

“We still have a long way to go, and we all have the responsibility. Let us continue to work together and ensure that we flatten the curve of the COVID-19,” concludes Dr Sebati.