This course provides an introduction to HIV/AIDS and how it is managed using antiretroviral therapy. It offers general information about the disease itself, its prevalence, mode of transmission and etiology, and the common therapy and treatment. Special focus is given to the challenges in access and availability of ARV medicines in low and middle income countries.

In 2017, over 20 students will be able to follow an i+academy course free of charge with the i+scholarship. Applications for 2018 will open in November 2017.

Laboratory services are essential for successful management many diseases. The management of diseases requires availability of quality laboratory services that meet the need for diagnosis, monitoring and evaluation of treatment efficacy. To achieve this, a reliable and sustainable supply of essential laboratory supplies is required. The aim of the course is to apply the principles of supply chain management to the management of laboratory commodities in low and middle income countries.

Ensuring the quality of medicines is a major public health concern. The emergence of substandard and counterfeit medicines, coupled with inefficient supply chain systems, not only poses a risk of negative health outcomes but also leads to economic losses and lack of trust in the health system. To address these issues and develop evidence-based strategies, it is important that people at all levels, from policy makers to primary healthcare workers appreciate and comprehend the need for effective QA systems.

This course was offered on two levels. The introductory part introduced you to the concepts and main principles of quality assurance. The advanced course is intended for those of you who are interested in developing further skills and knowledge in different aspects of quality assurance such as pharmaceutical regulation, pharmacovigilance and quality control of medicines.

There is currently a strong momentum for the strengthening of the local pharmaceutical sector in developing and emerging markets. Regional and national strategies to promote local pharmaceutical production in line with international standards are being developed. Besides 'modern' or 'western' medicines, this also includes herbal and traditional medicines - in line with their increasing popularity and market shares worldwide.

While the rationale for local production is simple - including factors such as independence from donor programmes which may not run forever, more steady supply chains, and greater control to local regulators - there is still a long way to go and markets are tough... Local companies, especially in low and middle income countries, often face substantial hurdles.

One of the big challenges is the lack of a qualified human resources base in the manufacturing sector of medicines and other healthcare products. In particular, there is need for skilled personnel for quality units (quality assurance, quality control) and other GMP relevant areas. Costs for bringing in experts from abroad are high. Combined with other challenges, local manufacturers often struggle to compete and even survive. Not being in line with international quality standards, they are prevented from passing WHO prequalification, participating in international tenders, and entering international markets.

Moreover, the national medicines regulatory agencies (NMRAs) of these countries experience a shortage too of qualified staff in GMP, GMP inspection and dossier evaluation. This creates difficulties for the NMRAs to enforce internationally acceptable regulatory requirements (including GMP standards) thereby preventing the availability of affordable quality generics for the majority of their low income population groups.

Traditional and herbal medicines have great potential and can enrich the modern medical landscape – given that they are safe, effective and quality-assured. Despite the requirement to follow GMP standards for production of traditional and herbal medicines, not all actively producing manufacturers, especially in developing countries, comply with international GMP standards - with potential serious consequences for the health of consumers.

This e-learning course introduces Good Manufacturing Practices for medicines and healthcare products, including herbal and traditional medicines. The course focuses on WHO GMP standards and requirements as one of the major GMPs. Course participants will learn about GMP requirements, including procedural, organizational and infrastructural aspects, as well as about the GMP inspection process. They will be able to critically analyse and implement basic GMP requirements in their daily working routine in the manufacturing and regulatory environment. The participants will practice course contents in quizzes, assignments, and discussion forums. While the main focus is on medicines, an extra session of the course introduces the requirements for healthcare products, specifically for female condoms.

In the end, these capacity building measures in the area of GMP and GMP inspection will make participants from local manufacturers and national regulatory authorities better equipped for production and regulation of quality assured essential medicines and healthcare products, in line with national and international standards.

Il existe de nombreux enjeux découlant du nombre croissant des acteurs dans le secteur de la santé des pays en voie de développement. Divers acteurs ont souvent différent mécanismes de financement et conditions de rapport, ce qui complique davantage la quantification des médicaments essentiels et des fournitures médicales. Le cours répond aux défis rencontrés lors de la prévisions et la quantification des médicaments essentiels, y compris les médicaments anti-VIH/SIDA, antipaludéens et antituberculeux. Il vise à renforcer les capacités des participants à maîtriser les tâches de prévision et quantification et à décider du processus de planification d’approvisionnement approprié en se basant sur une analyse approfondie des données.