Tuberculosis (TB), a disease with a 142-year history since its discovery, still persists as a significant global public health challenge. Despite being preventable and curable, TB claimed 1.3 million lives worldwide in 2022, with a substantial portion of fatalities occurring in Africa, notably in South Africa where the disease claimed 54,200 lives. Shockingly, this translates to one life lost every 10 minutes to TB in South Africa alone during that year. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for TB, stands as the leading cause of death from an infectious disease globally, highlighting the urgency to address this issue.
While strides have been made in combating TB, achieving the global goal of eradicating it by 2030 faces numerous obstacles. Weak health systems, insufficient funding, poor nutrition, co-morbidities such as HIV, and the emergence of drug resistance complicate efforts to combat the disease. Notably, in 2022, multi-drug resistant TB affected 410,000 individuals, resulting in 160,000 deaths. Although new drugs exist for treating drug-resistant TB, the extended treatment duration and heightened side effects pose significant challenges. To tackle TB effectively, a comprehensive approach rooted in African-led research and development (R&D) is imperative. Despite Africa bearing the heaviest burden of TB globally and accounting for 24% of the global disease burden, the continent contributes less than 1% of the global scientific output, severely hindering its ability to address health challenges and achieve global health objectives.
Africa heavily relies on imported drugs and vaccines, exposing it to global supply chain dynamics. To bolster health systems and establish a strong presence in the pharmaceutical supply chain, substantial investments in robust drug R&D infrastructure are urgently needed. This entails establishing world-class academic research centers with a multidisciplinary approach to drug discovery, enhancing R&D capabilities within educational institutions, training skilled scientists, and establishing efficient supply chain models for locally developed drugs to reach patients effectively. Investments in drug discovery can yield more effective, affordable, and accessible TB treatments, hastening efforts to combat a disease that has long plagued African communities. Rather than waiting for global pharmaceutical companies to prioritize R&D for treatments needed by Africans, Africa must take the lead in this endeavor.
Despite the evident need for increased investment in drug discovery, Africa’s expenditure on health research remains meager, falling far below the global average. Additionally, no African country has met the 2006 goal of allocating at least 1% of its GDP to R&D. However, encouraging progress has been made, with the African region achieving a 4% annual decline rate in TB cases by 2023, double the global pace. Yet, to meet the 2030 End TB Strategy targets, this decline rate must accelerate to 17%.
By bolstering drug discovery capabilities and forging strategic partnerships, Africa can enhance its capacity to combat TB and other infectious diseases. Institutions like the Holistic Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D) exemplify Africa’s commitment to advancing drug discovery efforts. Additionally, initiatives such as the Grand Challenges African Drug Discovery Accelerator (GC ADDA) network, supported by significant investments from organizations like LifeArc and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, are promising steps towards accelerating TB drug discovery efforts.
To transition from reliance on external pharmaceutical innovations to becoming leaders in drug ideation, research, and design, Africa must prioritize locally led and owned drug discovery initiatives. Governments, research institutions, health professionals, and communities all have vital roles to play in supporting and advocating for African-led research and locally manufactured drugs.
Cite this article as (APA format):
AR Managing Editor (2024). Empowering Africa: Accelerating TB Drug Discovery through African-Led Research Initiatives. Retrieved from https://www.africanresearchers.org/empowering-africa-accelerating-tb-drug-discovery-through-african-led-research-initiatives/
The African Research (AR) Index is a comprehensive scholarly directory and database focused explicitly on journal publishers that publish and disseminate African research.
