The Concept Foundation, an international non-governmental and not-for-profit organisation, has formed a new coalition of companies producing generic reproductive health supplies. Named as Generic Manufacturers for Reproductive Health (GEM/RH), the new formation comprises seven select generic pharmaceutical companies manufacturing throughout Asia, Africa and Europe.
The new alliance will work to expand the availability of quality, affordable and safe reproductive health products and medicines to women, girls and families in need, says a statement from Concept Foundation. The Concept Foundation will serve as the coalition secretariat. The founding members are: Cipla (India), Famy Care (India), HELM (Germany), Naari (Switzerland), PT. Tunggal Idaman Abdi (Indonesia), Shanghai Dahua Pharmaceuticals Co., (China), and Zizhu Pharmaceutical (China).
Globally, there are more than 200 million women in developing countries who do not have access to family planning information, products and services. “This coalition is united in its commitment to achieve the goals set forth by the Family Planning 2020 global initiative, which aims to provide 120 million more women and girls in the world’s poorest countries with access to voluntary family planning information, contraceptives and services by 2020,’’ said a release.
“GEM/RH members will work with the global reproductive health community to help meet the supply demand and provide millions of women in high-need nations with a range of affordable, quality-assured products. Collectively, coalition members distribute products in more than 50 countries, spanning all seven continents, and have the capacity to reach millions more women in high-need countries with reproductive health products,’’ the release adds. These companies are also well-positioned to help shape the market dynamics in high-need countries and provide a reliable supply of quality-assured, affordable family and reproductive health products that will meet the market’s requirements, it adds.
``The coalition’s priorities are to work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN agencies to address challenges of supplying quality assured products to high-need countries, and to partner with high-need countries to supply culturally-relevant products,’’ the release further says.
With headquarters in Bangkok and Geneva, Concept Foundation works to expand access to family planning and critical maternal health products in lower- and middle-income countries.
