Medicines, Sovereignty, and Global Health: a strong signal from Kigali for Africa and Beyond

From June 15 to 19, the capital of Rwanda hosted the international Summer School on pharmaceutical security and sovereignty. Topics included governance, innovation, communication, and skills development in low- and middle-income countries
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Kigali, Rwanda. From June 15 to 19, the Lemigo Hotel in the Rwandan capital hosted the international Summer School titled Pharmaceutical Security and Sovereignty in the Context of Public Health and Communicable Diseases. The event, organized by the University Center for International Cooperation (CUCI) of the University of Parma as part of the PNRR-TNE project “ACHIEVE-IT”, with local support from INES-Ruhengeri University, brought together experts, academics, and health professionals from across East Africa, making Kigali a key forum for discussions on the future of global public health.

The Summer School offered a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and opportunities related to pharmaceutical security and sovereignty, with a particular focus on communicable diseases and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach that leverages local technological innovation and international collaboration.

The Summer School provided an in-depth immersion into the challenges and opportunities related to pharmaceutical security and sovereignty

Among the many topics addressed were health communication as a strategic pillar for public well-being, the role of political intervention in tackling communicable diseases, preparedness for future health emergencies, and the ethical and practical considerations of drug reuse in low- and middle-income countries.

A fundamental element of the scientific program was the broad participation of the Rwanda Food and Drug Authority (FDA), one of the most advanced drug regulatory agencies on the continent, accredited with a Maturity Level 3 by the World Health Organization.

Voices from the Summer School Experience

Locandina della Summer School

The initiative for this School in Kigali stems from a clear and forward-looking vision, as explained by Gabriele Costantino, full professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Parma and scientific organizer of the School: “The development of the pharmaceutical sector has always accompanied the transition from Low-Income to Middle-Income countries (LMICs). Europe itself, with Italy and Germany leading, after World War II, is a clear example.”

Furthermore, Costantino continues, pharmaceutical development triggers a cascading progress: “The development of the pharmaceutical sector implies infrastructure growth, creation of value chains, the need for qualified and trained workforce, increased public welfare spending, and consequently higher per capita spending capacity. The issue of security and sovereignty, to which the discussion added pharmaceutical accessibility, critically addresses the need of East African Community countries to generate a pharmaceutical supply system as autonomous as possible.

Pharmaceutical development triggers a cascading progress

This system, based on bottom-up choices grounded in local needs, should complement and, in the medium to long term, replace international procurement. The ultimate goal is to make the health systems as independent as possible from international economic and sociopolitical instabilities.”

A clear idea looking toward the future of the pharmaceutical system—and beyond—in low- and middle-income countries. In conclusion, Costantino states: “This process requires the joint effort of the public system, especially secondary and tertiary education, but also, and above all, the pharmaceutical regulatory system, the private sector, and international cooperation.”

Science and Politics: A Necessary Synergy

During the Summer School, the crucial and now more necessary than ever integration between science and politics in the pharmaceutical field clearly emerged. “Two sectors that, although seemingly very distant, must work in a coordinated and integrated manner,” stated Marco Pieroni, associate professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Parma.

Not merely treatment but also prevention and early diagnosis are fundamental to preventing the spread of epidemics

Pieroni focused his intervention on malaria and tuberculosis, endemic diseases in the region, emphasizing the need for a “multilevel approach: not merely treatment but also prevention and early diagnosis are fundamental to preventing the spread of epidemics and, in some way, containing them. It became clear that, although harmonization of measures can be pursued, it is unrealistic to think that decisions made in one specific cultural and regulatory context can be simply transferred and adopted in another. At best, if not uniformity, convergence can be aimed for, which institutions, independently and sovereignly, must take responsibility for.”

During the event, Pieroni, together with Carmine Iorio, coordinated a crisis scenario simulation where participants took on the roles of decision-makers, politicians, and stakeholders to manage future health emergencies.

Communication Is Part of the Response

“In our time, health emergencies, especially pandemics, are not only about the spread of a new pathogen. We saw this clearly during COVID-19: the health crisis was accompanied by a communication crisis,” recalled Carmine Iorio, pharmacist and speaker at the Summer School.

Preparing for future health emergencies also means equipping ourselves with tools to communicate clearly, transparently, and ethically

“The infodemic had a profound impact on the public perception of risk. Preparing for future health emergencies also means equipping ourselves with tools to communicate clearly, transparently, and ethically. Communication is an integral part of the health response to emergencies in the new century.”

Challenges and Perspectives for East Africa

The main local challenge in the pharmaceutical sector was highlighted by Dr. Thierry Habyarimana, local co-organizer and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at INES, who emphasized the lack of qualified workforce, a strong regulatory framework, and sufficient investments. Furthermore, according to Habyarimana, “the absence of scientific exchange platforms—at national, regional, and international levels—hinders a multidisciplinary understanding of the sector’s real gaps. Pharmaceutical security and sovereignty within the East African Community would require strong regional integration to build systems appropriate for the region.”

The shared experience of the Kigali Summer School can represent a good model of practical partnerships

Vedaste Habyalimana, Director of the Drugs Department at the Rwanda FDA, emphasized how this school represents an example of the importance of sharing best practices:
“The shared Italian and European experience has been an inspiration for African initiatives and truly serves as a good model of practical partnerships that can lead to the establishment of the pharmaceutical industry in Africa/East Africa with guaranteed success in a very short time.”

A Forward-Looking Initiative

For Habyalimana, the hope is that the school becomes an annual event to continue promoting information exchange and relationship building. In this regard, the University of Parma, together with other institutions, has expressed the intention to continue along this path of collaboration.

The aim is for this school not to be an isolated event, but the starting point for a consistent and stable follow-up that allows the creation of an increasingly strong network of health professionals, academics, and stakeholders determined to play a leading role in the pharmaceutical and health sector of their countries.

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