Result of Service

Successful implementation and management of communication strategy for the AfCFTA-anchored Pharma Initiative under the guidance of the ECA.

Work Location

ECA – ADDIS ABABA

Expected duration

4 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Org. Setting and Reporting:

Under the supervision of the Directors of the Regional Integration and Trade Division (RITD) and Gender, Poverty & Social Policy Division (GPSPD), the Chief of the Regional Integration and Trade Division and the Technical Lead of the AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative, the Communication Consultant will support ECA in the implementation of the Pharma Initiative’s communication strategy. Specifically, the Communication Consultant will have the responsibility to support the following activities:

Background:

The AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative (Pharma Initiative) was initially launched in November 2019 by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), alongside the Government of Seychelles (representing select Small Island Developing States (SIDS)), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), in collaboration with UN Family entities, WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDOCO and UNAIDS. The initiative was first commissioned in select 10 pilot African countries which include Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, Djibouti, Eritrea, Rwanda Sudan, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

The Pharma Initiative contributes towards the aspirations of the 2030 Global Development Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. In addition, it demonstrates the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Plan for Africa (PMPA) and African Medicines Agency (AMA) by ensuring that private and public sector collaborations yield tangible results.

The Pharma Initiative’s specific objectives are:
i) To address socio-economic-related challenges facing African member countries relating to access to equitable, safe, and affordable medicines and the creation of fiscal space to the African countries in the era of rising government debts exacerbated by COVID,
ii) To showcase the operationalization of the AfCFTA and AMA within the Pharma Initiative’s three pronged pillars: localized pharmaceutical production, pharmaceutical pooled procurement, and a harmonized regulatory and quality standards framework,
iii) To increase intra-African trade of manufactured goods including medicines.

The Pharma Initiative takes on a three-pronged approach:
i) Establishment of a Centralized Pooled Procurement Mechanism (CPPM) for selected Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (SRMNCH) medicines and products.
ii) Facilitation and advocacy for local production of selected SRMNCH products.
iii) Ensure harmonized regulatory standards and quality assurance of medicines and commodities in partnership with relevant AUC Agencies.

The decision to focus on select maternal and child health-care products was informed by high maternal and infant mortality ratio in Africa as well as huge unmet needs for family planning and other reproductive health commodities. The maternal and child health burden remains relatively high across the continent and, the challenges relating to maternal and infant mortality persist, particularly in respect of achieving targets of key indicators within the SDGs. In connection to the above, there other existing difficulties such as the lack of preventive immunization measures and vaccines.

In the backdrop of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project temporarily deviated from its envisaged core objectives to support member States to mitigate shortages in COVID-19 medical supplies. Together with the African Union Special Envoy on COVID-19 Supplies, Afreximbank, and Africa CDC, the ECA facilitated the creation and endorsement in June 2020 of the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) as a continental mechanism for coordination and distribution of COVID-19 medical supplies under the purview of the African Vaccination Acquisition Trust (AVAT). AVAT is envisioned as a central entity for the negotiation, procurement, and payment for vaccines and to act as the interface between AU Member States and vaccine manufacturers.

Returning to its original mandate on SRMNCH products, the Pharma Initiative has published two expressions of interest (EOI) which have selected manufacturers to receive capacity-building support to promote Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) for quality, efficacious and safe pharmaceuticals and to enhance the competitiveness of the companies and their ability to leverage the market opportunities offered by the implementation of AfCFTA and AMA.

As we enter Phase III of the Pharma Initiative, moving towards AU objectives of self-reliance and self-sufficiency, the ECA and partners will focus on supporting the institutionalization of a CPPM. Leveraging on AfCFTA and AMA, CPPM will contribute to addressing the issues of the fragmentation of African markets and, creation of a business case to promote local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals in the continent. Local production of pharmaceuticals and the harmonization of the medicines regulatory environment across the continent will increase access to safe, affordable, and quality medicines and will prepare Africa to deal with future pandemics, emergencies, and crises, establishing continental health security.

The Genesis and Justification of Pharma Initiative

The signing of the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Area (AfCFTA), its coming into force effectively on 30 May 2019 and entering into an operational phase on 7 July 2019, marked momentous milestones in Africa’s economic integration. The AfCFTA brings on board a market of 1.3 billion people, a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $3.4 trillion, across 55 member states of the African Union (AU). On the other hand, the African Medicines Agency (AMA) plays a critical role in guaranteeing the protection of the integrated African market from substandard, and counterfeit products and services by providing a collaborating framework of common regulatory and quality standards to ensure that pharmaceutical drugs and products are effective, affordable, and safe.

The AfCFTA and African Medicines Agency (AMA) changes the economics on the ground and strengthens the case for significant investment in manufacturing across the continent. Living in the era of COVID-19 pandemic associated with supply chains disruptions has drawn attention to the already overburdened public health systems in many African countries. It highlights the urgent need for sustainable health sector systems to serve as input to inclusive and sustainable development, promotion of value addition and income generation, job creation to cater for the youth bulge, technological and knowledge spill overs.

The Agreements provides an appropriate sectoral approach to advocate for healthcare and wellness sectors, and more specifically the pharmaceutical sector. The healthcare and wellness sector, which is projected to be worth $259 billion by 2030 is said to have a potential to create 16 million jobs. The pharmaceuticals sub-sector has been identified as one of the world’s fastest growing markets exploding from to US$ 21 Billion in 2013 to about $60 Billion in 2020 and still growing.

The beginning of trading in 2021 under the AfCFTA making Africa the largest integrated trading area in the world by allowing access of good and services without tariffs to a forecasted market of 1.7 billion potential by 2030 has significant importance to public health and safety. The continent carries 25% of global disease burden, with over 50% of children who die under the age of 5 and 75% of HIV/ AIDS patients are Africans. However, the continent is only 11% of the world population. Additionally, 73% of the estimated 1.6 million people dying each year from AIDS are Africans as well as 92 percent of the deaths due to malaria. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) account for 73 per cent of the disease burden among the elderly population. On other hand, communicable diseases (NDs) account for 78 per cent of the disease burden among the 0–14-year-old. The tragedy of it all is that most of these diseases are treatable and most related deaths could be prevented with timely access to appropriate and affordable and quality medicines and so are people living with long life diseases, they can lead productive lives.

Presently, Africa manufactures less than 2 per cent of the medicines it consumes while it imports over 97 per cent of its needs from outside the continent at an annual cost of $14.5 billion. Worse still, several African countries import sub-standard or poor-quality medicines and some of the smaller Africa economies pay premium prices to source their pharmaceuticals owing to their weakened bargaining position with large, well-resourced, and dominant international pharmaceutical companies. It is estimated that the annual earnings from substandard and/or counterfeit drugs were over US$30 billion in LMICs, according to the 2017 World Health Organization study on the public health and socioeconomic impact of substandard and falsified medical products. Counterfeit and substandard drugs are a public health risk contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality.

Africa’s high disease burden, poor access and affordability of medicines is compounded by factors that include importation sub-standard or poor-quality medicines, long lead times for international orders; infrastructure gaps such as poor logistics and storage capacity, as well as high transport and distribution costs. Implementation of the AfCFTA and AMA provide framework to address these existing market distortions in pharmaceutical sub sector, laid bare by COVID pandemic.

The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa (PMPA) that was adopted by the AU Assembly back in 2007 observed: “a market size that would ensure sustainability as well as technical and financial viability was considered imperative.” Thanks to the AfCFTA and AMA, Africa is now able to say market size is no longer an issue for pharmaceutical manufacturers to engage in areas such as the local production of generic medicines on the continent or pooled procurement of medicines utilizing a common regulatory and quality standards framework.

As a UN agency mandated to operate at the regional and sub regional levels, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), leveraged on its think tank, convening and operational core functions to engage relevant partners, provide the platform, networks, and analysis on the opportunities of the AfCFTA in the pharmaceutical sector across the continent. In 2018, ECA, AUC and partners commissioned a report titled “Review of Policies and Strategies for the Pharmaceutical Production Sector in Africa: Policy coherence, best practices and future prospective”. The policy recommendations emanating from the report informed the 2019 Africa Business Forum which was convened on the margins of African Union Summit on 12 February 2019. The Forum’s objective was to facilitate and consolidate a regional partnership between private and public sectors for the purposes of advancing health outcomes and shape health markets in Africa to spur improved health and wellbeing of its people and economy, as well as free up the fiscal space of the African Governments given the rising fiscal debt within the region. The Forum culminated in the launch of African Business Coalition for Health (ABCHealth), an African led coalition that mobilizes a core group of private sector champions to advance health outcomes and shape health markets in Africa.

Following the launch of ABCHealth, the ECA, AUC and partners convened an AfCFTA Regional Forum for the Horn of Africa on the theme: “AfCFTA Ratification and Implementation: Breaking Down Geographical, Logistical and Regulatory Barriers to Trade and Investment in the Horn of Africa to Boost Industrialization – A Focus on the Pharmaceutical Industry” in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 23-24 May 2019. As part of its mandate to ensure that private and public sector dialogue yields tangible outcomes, the ECA went on to conceptualize an AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Project and joined forces with its partners AUC, IGAD and selected Africa.

• Increase awareness and understanding of AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative for AU member States especially on the institutionalization and operationalization of the CPPM.
• Engage and increase awareness of key stakeholders in particular governments, Regional Economic Communities, private sector and civil society on the benefits and challenges of a CPPM for priority SRMNCH commodities.
• Establish a strong effective communication, advocacy, and outreach to reach governments, intergovernmental agencies, the international community, CSOs, private sector, academia, and researchers.
A. Implementation of the Communication Strategy:
• Tracks, research, and analyses information on assigned topics/issues; gathers information from diverse sources and helps to assess news value and other potential impact, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of information campaigns with respects to the Pharma Initiative.
• In consultation with team members, identifies and proposes information opportunities, activities, and approaches, considering the specificities of the situation/topic and target audience.
B. Content Development:
• Develop simple and informative multimedia materials (incl. press releases, media packs and briefings, video clips, social media posts and internal newsletters) to increase awareness on CPPM of SRMNH products amongst specific target audiences.
• Develop multimedia materials to increase awareness of good manufacturing practices and good pharmaceutical procurement and regulatory practices in Member States.
• Use appropriate tools and channels to convey clear, targeted, and focused messages for different target audiences.
• Handle communications/outreach/advocacy activities around key conferences, seminars, and meetings related to the AfCFTA-anchored Pharma Initiative, including press briefings/conferences, interviews etc.
C. Media Relations:
• Makes available to national, regional, and international media, accurate and current information to aid their understanding of the benefits of the CPPM and encourage regular dialogue with them.
• Liaise with media and handles request for interviews and statements.
• Conducts media trainings.
D. Social Media:
• Develop social media compatible content to share across several ECA social media platforms, incl. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
All communication activities will be done according to the requirements specified in the Communication and Visibility Requirements for ECA’s policies on branding and social media.

I. Specific Objectives

In this regard, the ECA, African Union Commission (AUC), Seychelles representing select Small Island States and IGAD have joined hands to strengthen economic integration within Africa by showcasing how to operationalize the AfCFTA and AMA through the AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative. The short-term initiatives under this project will focus on:

(i) Increase awareness and understanding of AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative for AU member States;
(ii) Engage key stakeholders in particular Governments, Regional Economic Communities, private sector and civil society to have adequate knowledge of the benefits and challenges of the AfCFTA-anchored Pharmaceutical Initiative;
(iii) Establish a strong effective mechanism for communication, advocacy and outreach to reach governments, intergovernmental agencies, the international community, CSOs, private sector, academia and researchers.

II. Duties & Responsibilities

The tasks to be performed by the consultant include:

A. Strategy:

• Tracks, researches and analyzes information on assigned topics/issues; gathers information from diverse sources and helps to assess news value and other potential impact, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of information campaigns
• In consultation with others, identifies and proposes information opportunities, activities and approaches, taking into account the specificities of the situation/topic and target audience.

B. Content Development:

• Develop simple and informative multimedia materials (incl. press releases, media packs and briefings, video clips, social media posts and internal newsletters) to increase awareness amongst specific target audiences;
• Use appropriate tools and channels to convey clear, targeted and focused messages for different target audiences;
• Handle communications/outreach/advocacy activities around key conferences, seminars, and meetings related to the AfCFTA project, including press briefings/conferences, interviews etc;

C. Media Relations:

• Makes available to national, regional and international media, accurate and current information to aid their understanding of the benefits of the AfCFTA and encourage regular dialogue with them;
• Liaise with media and handles request for interviews and statements
• Conducts media trainings.

D. Social Media:

• Develop social media compatible content to share across several ECA social media platforms, incl. Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.

All communication activities will be done according to the requirements specified in the Communication and Visibility Requirements for ECA’s policies on branding and social media.

Qualifications/special skills

Masters degree in Communications or related fields is required. A first-level university degree in combination with five years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in public information, journalism, international relations, public administration, or related area. Has strong conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet, and other databases.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is highly desirable.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.