What’s it worth? The Value of Innovation

Across Africa, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes – have risen sharply. Between 2000 and 2019, the percentage of deaths from NCDs in the World Health Organisation Africa Region rose from 24.2 to 37.1%. These diseases are a significant threat to public health and urgent action is needed to reduce the toll they take on people, families and communities – and economies.1 

While Africa still has a young and vibrant population, longer life expectancy means there are more elderly people in the region than ever before: the population of elderly people in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to reach 163 million by 2050 – up from an estimated 43 million in 2010.2 

How will Africa’s already overstretched healthcare systems care for these older patients – while also tackling NCDs and meeting the needs of the rest of the population? 

Innovative diagnostics, medicines and technologies that support healthcare delivery have the potential to tackle these challenges – reducing the strain on Africa’s healthcare systems, boosting its economies and helping its people live for longer in good health. But to make this happen we need to start seeing health innovation as an investment in people and in a stronger, healthier and more prosperous future, not a cost.

Data from research into the socio-economic impact of treatment with an innovative medicine for women living with HER2-positive breast cancer across seven African countries (Algeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, and Morocco) illustrates this. Between 2017 and 2023, treatment with Roche’s medicines generated a cumulative $17.2 million in economic gains across the seven countries through improved productivity and extended healthy life years. Over the same period, patients gained a total of 1,389 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).6

While medicines exist that could significantly reduce the burden of ill health on individuals and healthcare systems, they are not always reaching those who need them most. Too often, new treatments are delayed, or access is restricted, meaning people and society continue to suffer as outdated policies and systems hinder progress.

Investing in innovation to strengthen systems

Healthcare innovation isn’t confined to new medicines. New technologies and digital health tools have exciting potential to enable health systems deliver better quality care, faster, and at lower cost. Research carried out by McKinsey and Co. aimed to quantify the impact digital health tools could have in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Their findings suggest that these countries could gain efficiencies of up to 15% of total healthcare expenditures by 2030 by adopting digital health tools. This money could then be reinvested into the healthcare system – to strengthen services, improve outcomes and to continue to innovate to improve efficiency and care.7

Bringing health innovation to Africa – we must act now

The evidence is clear – health innovation can help people live healthier lives and boost economies. But only when it can reach the people who need it. Every delay comes at a cost, not just in money, but in lives and unrealised futures. Each four-week delay in cancer treatment, for example, is associated with a 6-13% increase in the risk of death, depending on the type of cancer and treatment.8

New medicines have contributed to one-third of the increase in life expectancy over the last few decades, with gains made across many diseases, including cancer. Importantly, many more health innovations are on the way, with over 10,000 new medicines currently being developed worldwide, meaning new hope for more people living with more conditions.9, 10

What’s needed now is broad action – to value, prioritise and fund health innovation so Africa’s citizens can benefit from health innovation. We’re calling on governments and policy makers across Africa to back science, fix slow systems and make sure health services are ready for the innovations that are available now and in the future.

Failure to invest could prevent or delay access to treatments which improve, prolong and save lives, and if we don’t start recognising the worth of health innovation, we’ll keep paying the price.