The initiative, first reported by Reuters, aims to tackle global inequality in obesity treatment, which has become a growing health and economic challenge worldwide.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 1 billion people suffer from obesity, and 70 percent live in low- and middle-income countries, many of them in Africa where access to modern obesity treatments remains limited.
In the region’s ten highest-burden countries, adult obesity rates range from 13.6 percent to 31 percent, highlighting a growing health crisis across the continent.
Gates Targets Global Affordability
Bill Gates told Reuters that his foundation intends to take any drug proven effective in wealthier nations “and figure out how to make it super, super cheap so that it can get to everyone in the world.”
He added that the foundation may help fund clinical trials to study how weight-loss medications affect diverse populations and generate data that could expand access globally.
Model from HIV Prevention
In September, the Gates Foundation partnered with Indian drug maker Hetero Labs to produce a low-cost version of lenacapavir, the world’s first twice-yearly HIV prevention shot, priced at $40 per patient annually.
The partnership aims to extend access to millions in lower-income countries, with regulatory approval expected by 2027. The model could guide similar efforts for affordable weight-loss drugs across Africa and other developing regions.
Patent Expiry to Boost Access
Starting next year, semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, will lose patent protection in countries including China and India. This development could allow generic manufacturers to produce cheaper alternatives, improving affordability in developing markets.
PAHO’s Procurement Plan
PAHO, the WHO’s regional health arm for the Americas, plans to use its pooled procurement system, which negotiates lower drug prices through bulk orders.
“We are starting the conversation,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director, noting that the organisation is preparing recommendations on safe use and will engage with drugmakers and potential generic producers.
Industry and Health Impact
Novo Nordisk told Reuters it recognised the “unmet need” for its treatments, adding: “We are deeply committed to serving patients around the world.”
Health experts believe that making obesity drugs available across Africa and other developing regions could help curb diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, while reducing healthcare costs.
The Gates Foundation’s move into obesity care marks an expansion of its long-standing health mission, shifting from infectious diseases to chronic illnesses increasingly affecting the developing world.
