African Island States Win UN Award for Pioneering Medicines Access Initiative
VICTORIA, Seychelles — A consortium of seven African small island developing states – Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Cabo Verde, Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe – has received the 2025 UN Sids Partnership Award in the Economic category for their pioneering Pooled Procurement Initiative, a World Health Organization-supported partnership that is transforming access to essential medicines across the islands.
The pooled procurement mechanism, currently the only operational one in the WHO African Region, unites the seven nations to negotiate and purchase medicines as a single bloc. By consolidating demand, the countries have gained market leverage once out of reach for small island economies. ‘This award reflects the determination of African Sids to turn long-standing challenges into collective opportunities,’ said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO regional director for Africa.
For Seychelles, the partnership has already delivered the country’s first pharmaceutical consignment under the pooled procurement mechanism, marking a tangible improvement in daily healthcare delivery. Seychelles’ Permanent Mission in New York received the award on behalf of the seven governments.
