IFPMA Developing World Partnerships Directory

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) has launched its “Developing World Health Partnerships Directory” for 2010. The directory details long-term (more than one year) public-private partnerships to improve health in developing countries.

According to the report, available here, IFPMA members started 23 new partnerships in 2009, 11 more new programmes than the previous year. In total, IFPMA members currently have 213 active programmes in developing countries. These programmes focus on a number of aspects of health, including: access to medicine, capacity building through the building of infrastructure and the training of local healthcare workers, education, and research and development.

Partnership locations have been particularly high in African countries, as well as in India, though generally in countries with somewhat higher levels of per capita income, as it is difficult to support technology transfer without some infrastructure available to build on, IFPMA Communications Director Guy Willis said at the launch.

He also highlighted increases in the previously static number of HIV/AIDS partnerships. Increases are also present in malaria, tropical diseases, and additional initiatives which include the building of the broader healthcare capacity in the field of primary health in developing countries.

The directory website also contains a searchable database allowing searches by country, disease and IFPMA partner.