African Access Initiative

Sustainable access to quality, affordable cancer drugs is a universal priority of our partner countries. In partnership with African stakeholders and international pharmaceutical companies, BVGH applies a demand-driven access approach to forecast drug needs, determine and align on budgets, co-develop patient access and payer models, and coordinate procurement of drugs from Port to Patient.

BVGH develops and implements capacity building programs—led by global cancer experts in both English and French—to empower African professionals to provide high-quality oncology care across the patient pathway, from prevention and screening to diagnosis and treatment. BVGH employs a variety of customized training approaches, including placement of international experts at AAI hospitals, and African professionals at international host organizations (fellowships); digital, in-person, and hybrid seminar series; and digital mentorship and knowledge exchange programs. To date, over 5,000 Anglophone and Francophone healthcare providers from 50 African countries have benefitted from BVGH-coordinated capacity building programs.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network advises that the best possible method of managing cancer patients is through clinical trials. Despite this guidance, individuals of African descent are dramatically underrepresented in cancer clinical trials. African cancer patients’ enrollment in cancer clinical trials is critical to ensuring that oncology medicines, technologies, and practices are safe and effective against African patients’ unique tumor biologies. BVGH launched the African Consortium for Cancer Clinical Trials (AC³T) under the purview of AAI to empower African investigators to lead innovative, diverse, and inclusive clinical studies.