South Africa

ARV Access for Africa (AA4A)

ARV Access for Africa (AA4A) is situated in Pretoria, South Africa and is subsidiary of i+solutions in the Netherlands. i+solutions has received a grant from the Dutch Government to set up and implement a project to improve access to HIV-related medicines, supplies and diagnostics in Africa. The project has three principal components:

A buffer stock of HIV-related medicines, supplies and diagnostics
The Emergency Buffer Stock Project provides ARV’s and related commodities to HIV & AIDS programs in Sub-Sahara Africa and other developing countries, as a fall back distribution service for programs that may face unexpected shortage or service interruptions for one reason or other.

The Project offers supply from a specialized bonded warehouse in South Africa that will be able to mobilize critical medicines stock within 24 hours and reach 80% of sub-Saharan Africa destinations within five working days.

AA4A works in a close partnership with Surgipharm Uganda on the buffer stock project. Surgipharm will make available and hold buffer stocks and market, sell and supply of ARV’s in Uganda and surrounding countries as Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.

A training centre in ARV procurement and supply management
Having the ability to procure ARVs and diagnostics does not guarantee access and availability. ARV delivery programs must also have adequate capacity in pharmaceutical management in order to ensure a smoothly functioning supply chain. ARV Access for Africa therefore also includes a training centre, which focuses on capacity building in proper selection, quantification, procurement, storage, distribution and management of HIV-related medicines and medical supplies.

Capacity Building
To provide pharmaceutical management skills and increasing local capacity for public health care initiatives to ensure access to quality health care services in low and middle income countries.

More information about ARV Access for Africa can be found on www.aa4a.co.za