Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria

The Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm)
FoundedApril 2009 (2009-04) (launched) and July 2010 (2010-07) (began operations)
FocusInnovative financing mechanism to expand access to the most effective treatment for malaria, artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs)
Location
  • Geneva, Switzerland
Area served
Phase 1: Cambodia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania (mainland and Zanzibar), Uganda
Websitewww.theglobalfund.org/en/privatesectorcopayment/

The Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm) is a financing mechanism intended to expand access to affordable and effective antimalarial medication (artemisinin-based combination therapies, ACTs). It works primarily through the commercial private sector, in addition to the public and non-governmental organization sectors which are the more traditional routes for development assistance in malaria control. Its goal is to drive down the price of the most effective malaria medicines so that millions of people can afford to buy them.[1] The program has been called "one of the most important recent advances in fighting malaria" and "a triumph of international cooperation."[1] The AMFm is hosted and managed by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Geneva, Switzerland.[2]

The premise of the AMFm is that a factory-gate global subsidy, with measures to support its implementation, will save lives and reduce malaria-related mortality by increasing access to ACTs, and delay the onset of widespread resistance to the artemisinin in ACTs. It includes three elements: (i) price reductions through negotiations with ACT manufacturers, (ii) a buyer subsidy through a 'co-payment' at the top of the global supply chain and (iii) supporting interventions at the country level to promote the appropriate use of ACTs.[3]

AMFm Phase 1 was formally launched in April 2009[4] and began operations in July 2010.[5] AMFm Phase 1 is being implemented through nine pilot programs in eight countries: Cambodia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania (mainland and Zanzibar) and Uganda.[5] There are early signs AMFm Phase 1 is effectively increasing availability and decreasing prices of ACTs;[6] however the Global Fund Board will only take a decision on the future of AMFm at the end of 2012 on the basis of an independent evaluation.[5] As part of the Copenhagen Consensus 2012, a panel of leading economists concluded that the AMFm was "one of the best returns on health that could be made globally" and ranked it two of 16 priority solutions to advance global welfare.[7]

In November 2012 the Global Fund Board decided to modify the existing AMFm business line by integrating lessons learned from Phase 1 into Global Fund core grant management and financial processes. The AMFm was subsequently renamed the Private Sector Co-payment Mechanism.

  1. ^ a b McNeil, Donald G. Jr. (17 April 2009). "Plan Tries to Lower Malaria Drug Cost". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  2. ^ "Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm)". The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Archived from the original on 18 April 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  3. ^ Adeyi, Olusoji; Rifat Atun (27 November 2010). "Universal access to malaria medicines: innovation in financing and delivery". The Lancet. 376 (9755): 1869–1871. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61189-0. PMID 20940074. S2CID 9497597. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference theglobalfund was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c "Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria Frequently Asked Questions". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  6. ^ Press Release. "Global Fund-led initiative slashes cost of anti-malaria medicines in many African countries". Global Fund. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  7. ^ "Copenhagen Consensus 2012 - Outcomes". Copenhagen Consensus. Retrieved 14 May 2012.