Prosper Africa’s Tech for Trade Alliance (AT4T) is launching its latest pilot in Africa to field test a digital platform designed to increase visibility in Africa’s drug supply chains, resulting in a more transparent, efficient, and safe commercial market for medications.
Prosper Africa, USAID’s e-Trade Alliance, IBM Consulting, and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) are working together to develop Pulse by NABPT in South Africa. Pulse will connect US and global pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Roche with African distributors and pharmacies in this emerging market, allowing for better communication between trading partners and adding security to this evolving supply chain by improving the ability to identify and trace medications.
British Robinson, Prosper Africa’s Coordinator, said, “Through Prosper Africa’s Tech for Trade Alliance, under the Digital Trade for Africa (DTA) initiative, we support partnerships between companies to leverage technology and create products and services that catalyze financial and social returns for Africans and Americans alike. We are excited that IBM will use their Watson AI capabilities in this pilot to help improve the traceability of drugs exported to Africa.”
The African pharmaceutical market, valued at $26.85 billion in 2023, is projected to grow by 3.4% from 2024 to 2030, offering US companies a chance to understand the market and help African pharmacies utilize AI tools for effective sales strategies.
Despite market prospects, the distribution of pharmaceutical products in Africa involves substantial commercial hurdles, such as fragmented supply chains, inadequate infrastructure, and regulatory variances between countries. This can lead to inefficiencies in distribution, resulting in a limited product supply and increased pricing for patients at the point of sale. The proposed Pulse experiment has the potential to benefit African distributors and pharmacies by improving operations, reducing waste, maintaining stable stock, and establishing more profitable collaborations with international suppliers.
“IBM is committed to applying technology and consulting expertise to enhance transparency and foster trust across critical industries like healthcare. The launch of Pulse by NABP demonstrates the power of digital solutions in transforming the pharmaceutical supply chain,” said Riaz Osman, Managing Partner, Southern Africa & Africa Growth Markets, IBM Consulting. “By leveraging AI and data, we aim to create a secure, transparent environment that enables pharmacies and distributors to make more informed, data-driven decisions. This partnership underscores our dedication to helping build resilient ecosystems that drive economic growth and societal impact.”
“As an organization whose mission is the protection of public health, we are excited to partner with Prosper Africa and IBM to provide tools that provide greater visibility into African pharmaceutical supply chains and support a more transparent, efficient, and accessible market for medications,“ said Lemrey “Al” Carter, PharmD, MS, RPh, executive director of NABP. “We look forward to leveraging Pulse by NABP as a pathway for future development of a successful, sustainable, and scalable platform that in the future could provide patients with confidence in the safety and quality of the drugs they buy.”
IBM Consulting Advantage will help gather and analyze product scan data for Pulse by NABPT in conjunction with African pharmacies and retailers, leveraging its deep technical and industry experience and AI-powered platform. Furthermore, IBM will provide training on AI tools such as WatsonX.ai to help these pharmacies and retailers make data-driven decisions. This public-private partnership has the potential to stimulate both economic growth and health benefits, benefiting both American businesses and African consumers.
