Africa CDC and RECs Strengthen Synergies for Effective Pooled #Procurement in Kigali

Addis Ababa, March 30, 2025 (FMC) — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Regional Economic Community (REC) representatives and other stakeholders convened for a consultative workshop to strengthen coordination between regional pooled procurement mechanisms (PPMs) and the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM), as well as to discuss the modalities for the establishment of a joint information sharing platform.

The workshop aimed to align the efforts of Africa CDC and the RECs to create a holistic, coordinated, and synergistic approach to pooled procurement.

Building on the momentum from the inaugural workshop held in Addis Ababa in August 2024, the second consultative meeting brought together representatives from RECs, development partners, development finance institutions (DFIs) and other stakeholders to assess progress on the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM), share best practices, explore opportunities, and emphasize the need for closer collaboration to drive its operationalization.

“We are grateful for the opportunity for the East African Community to be chosen as the first REC to host this important consultative series. This workshop could not have come at a more critical moment. As we face the shifting tides in global health financing, the challenge also presents an opportunity for transformation.

To truly ensure Africa’s health security, we must build our own capacity to produce medical products and technologies. Pooled procurement is a key part of this agenda!” said Dr. Loko Abraham, Director General of the Rwanda Medical Supply.

Access to affordable, high-quality healthcare products remains a significant challenge in Africa, further complicated by fragmented markets, small order sizes and poor demand forecasting.

Pooled procurement offers a solution-boosting collective bargaining power, increasing supply stability and attracting competitive suppliers.

The APPM is therefore, set to improve access to quality and affordable health product technologies and promote the localisation of manufacturing. Africa CDC is advancing the APPM in close collaboration with strategic partners.

With a comprehensive framework now in place, the APPM is transitioning toward its start-up implementation phase.

“Today’s consultations are another opportunity to exchange information, discuss progress and identify joint efforts needed for the start-up phase of the APPM,” said Dr Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director General.

“RECs will be instrumental to the success of this mechanism, which will enhance access to quality-assured health products and help drive local manufacturing,” he said.

The EAC Secretariat looks forward to seeing how the REC-based digital EAC PPM information-sharing platform will interoperate with the continental platform to improve access to quality and affordable health products and promote local manufacturing.