Improving South-South Collaboration for Children through Medicine and Health Technology Products

SHANGHAI, 18 June 2019 – UNICEF held industry consultations with potential medicine and other health technology suppliers at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre on 18 June 2019. The “Essential Supplies for Children” event was co-hosted by UNICEF and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Medicines and Health Products (CCCMHPIE). The event brought together several organizations in the medicine and health technology industry across China and was a follow up to UNICEF engagement in the 2018 China International Import Expo.  

In his opening remarks, Mr. Wang Maochun, Vice President of the CCCMHPIE, emphasized the Chamber’s unique position to meet the increasing market demand by facilitating the cooperation with international organizations and increasing the participation of high-quality Chinese product manufacturers in international markets. Mr. Maochun added that the “Chamber will continue to strengthen the medical and health products industry in China as part of its contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in China and globally.”

Dr Alison Jenkins, Senior Adviser for South-South Cooperation and Partnerships at UNICEF China, noted the importance of the consultation in fostering greater understanding of UNICEF’s strategies and business processes to create more opportunities for suppliers. “UNICEF procures over 5,000 essential commodities to address the needs of children; the total global procurement value reached US$3.48 billion in 2018 alone,” said Dr Jenkins. “We influence markets and products for children through strategic procurement to orient markets towards current and future needs of children and businesses engagement to drive product development and innovation,” she said.

The consultation targeted suppliers identified during the strategic and essential commodities for children market survey commissioned by UNICEF China. Close to 100 business representatives from the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, including several prominent members of the CCCMHPIE, joined the event.

Senior experts from UNICEF Supply Division, Dr Abdallah Makhlof and Dr Mary Atieno Ojoo, provided an overview of UNICEF business opportunities, processes and achievements, with a focus on cold chain optimization. It was highlighted that, since the launch of the Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform, UNICEF, its partners and manufacturers have achieved greater efficiency in cold chain systems. These new innovative mechanisms for purchasing, delivering, installing and training is now used in 55 countries.

The access to medicine and local production were also echoed by Dr Zhou Kai of UNAIDS. She noted that an interagency statement on the promotion of medicines and other health technology local production was launched in May 2019 reiterating the commitment of GFATM, UNAIDS, UNCTAD, UNICEF, UNIDO and WHO to this initiative.

Participants also benefitted from the insights of Mr. Tang Yi, WHO China Office, who presented WHO prequalification processes and held one-on-one meetings with visiting experts.