Slashed import duties, joint bargaining and direct purchasing could address problems identified by survey
African researchers procuring lab supplies and equipment often spend more on shipping fees than on products and have to wait up to six months for delivery, a survey of 130 researchers across 20 African countries has shown.
The survey findings were shared in a 2 July commentary published in Nature magazine by representatives from the Nairobi-based Science for Africa Foundation, Kenyan biomedical consultancy Lablogics and the University of Birmingham in the UK.
Indirect access to manufacturers, inefficient institutional support for research and poor logistics infrastructure were the key problems identified by the survey. Life science research budgets are particularly strained by the high costs associated with transporting fragile or hazardous supplies across the continent, the commentary states.
“When combined with government-imposed import duties, these logistical hurdles can lead to shipping fees that cost more than the actual supplies,” the authors write, adding that purchasing in foreign currencies with fluctuating exchange rates exacerbates the problem.
Long delays
Researchers in Africa commonly have to wait three to six months to get supplies delivered due to logistical delays and a lack of infrastructure, the commentary authors write.
“These challenges to obtain basic consumables and equipment—including chemicals, cell-culture reagents, molecular biology reagents, diagnostic kits, glassware, thermocyclers and incubators—undermine efforts to train and retain researchers in Africa, and to cultivate self-reliant research ecosystems that can match the global pace of innovation,” they write.
Slow procurement processes also hamper local responses to health challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, and delay scientific results that could secure further health funding, the authors add. They urge manufacturers to allow direct procurement from African researchers at competitive prices, and to review their African distribution networks.
“African governments should also provide import tax exemptions on scientific supplies for education and research purposes, as is the norm in countries such as the United Kingdom and others in the European Union,” they write.
Furthermore, institutions in the same African region that share interests can negotiate joint purchasing agreements, the authors add. This will allow them to negotiate better prices, share lessons, and reduce shipping and customs costs. Better policies and skilled staff to handle procurement will also help African institutions.