KIGALI, 6 September 2022 - Rwanda has received eight types of Pfizer medicines and vaccines for infectious and inflammatory diseases, as well as certain cancers through ‘An Accord for a Healthier World’.

The Accord is a groundbreaking initiative between the Government of Rwanda and Pfizer inc., which aims to provide high-quality medicines and vaccines available in the United States or the European Union, on a not-for-profit basis to lower income countries.

The shipment received by the Ministry of Health includes 1,500 treatment courses to treat and prevent life threatening infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases and certain cancers.

Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said:

“In partnership with Pfizer and ‘An Accord for a Healthier World’, we are proud to provide rapid and affordable access to these Pfizer medicines and vaccines, which will save and improve patient lives all across Rwanda. Working together, we are greatly reducing the health inequities that exist between many lower-income countries and the rest of the world.”

Patrick van der Loo, Pfizer’s Regional President Africa and Middle East said:

 “Everyone, no matter where they live or their income level, should have access to life-saving medicines and vaccines. This delivery is an important milestone on our journey toward closing the health equity gap. But this shipment supply is only a first step. We look forward to working in close collaboration with healthcare officials in Rwanda to help get these medicines and vaccines to patients and communities where they are needed most.”

As part of the Accord, the Ministry of Health and Pfizer are also providing professional healthcare education and training, exploring partnerships to support Rwandan medical specialists, diagnostic enhancements and the establishment of a telemedicine consultation platform to connect healthcare professionals in Rwanda with experts around the world.

Rwanda is the first of the Accord countries to receive products through the initiative. Early insights from initial Accord countries, which also include Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda, will be shared across all 45 countries to support sustainable access and improved health systems.  

About An Accord for a Healthier World

An Accord for a Healthier World aims to provide all of Pfizer’s patented, high-quality medicines and vaccines available in the U.S. or the European Union on a not-for-profit basis to 1.2 billion people in 45 lower-income countries. The Accord countries include all 27 low-income countries as well as 18 lower-middle-income countries that have transitioned from low to lower-middle-income classification in the last ten years.

Pfizer is working with healthcare officials in Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda to identify early insights and opportunities to ensure all medicines and vaccines can reach those in need.

This will include expertise to support diagnosis, healthcare professional education and training along with supply chain management and other infrastructure enhancements.

Learnings from these five countries will be applied to support the roll out for the remaining forty countries. Pfizer will also collaborate with Accord participants to identify quick and efficient regulatory pathways and procurement processes to reduce the longer amount of time it can take to make new medicines and vaccines available in these countries.