Insulin Now to Be Affordable and Available for Diabetes Sufferers Across Africa
Today, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) and EVA Pharma (http://www.EVAPharma.com/) announced their partnership to help at least one million people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), the majority of which are in Africa, receive a reliable supply of high-quality, affordable human and analogue insulin.
For the first time ever, Lilly will offer EVA Pharma its insulin active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) at a drastically lower cost. Lilly will also donate technology to EVA Pharma so that it can create, fill, and finish insulin vials and cartridges, making the company a reputable producer of these life-saving goods in Africa.
Within 18 months, EVA Pharma aims to start distributing the African-made insulin products, and by 2030, it hopes to reach one million people annually. This partnership is a part of the Lilly 30×30 project, which aims to increase access to high-quality healthcare for 30 million people living in low-resource environments each year by 2030 (https://bit.ly/3hl59Vj).
Ilya Yuffa, president of Lilly International, stated that the new collaboration with EVA Pharma underscores Lilly’s genuine commitment to making equitable and affordable access to insulin a reality for individuals living with diabetes in low- and middle-income countries. This latest Lilly effort will empower local production, finishing, and distribution of high-quality insulin in Africa, transforming communities and improving people’s lives across the continent, the company said.
According to Riad Armanious, CEO of EVA Pharma, EVA Pharma is committed to enabling the struggle for health and wellbeing as a human right. Diabetes patients in LMICs face daily obstacles to receiving treatment, according to the study. We consider it a blessing to work with the Lilly team. By 2030, we hope to treat at least one million patients who might not otherwise have access to life-saving medication by combining our presence in Africa, cutting-edge facilities, and Lilly’s extensive experience in diabetes care.
The IDF Diabetes Atlas predicts that by 2045, there will be 55 million people living with diabetes in Africa, a 129% increase from the current level.
In order to assist nations in implementing successful programs for the prevention and management of diabetes, WHO established the Global Diabetes Compact in 2021. One of the Global Diabetes Compact’s tenets is working with the private sector to increase access to goods that will improve the lives of people with diabetes. The discussions with WHO promote accountability for the pledges and contributions made to enhancing access to insulin as well as their implementation.
According to Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, WHO Director for Noncommunicable Disease, the success of these commitments (https://bit.ly/3hvLkKH) to increase access for people living with diabetes is an important step in the right direction, but global engagement will need to be translated into implementation in regions and countries. The goal is to include insulin and diabetic devices in Essential Benefit Packages in low- and middle-income countries in order to achieve Universal Health Coverage. This is the beginning point.
Lilly will collaborate with EVA Pharma to make sure that their products adhere to the rigorous criteria required for WHO prequalification, which has emerged as a universal sign of efficacy, safety, and quality
