NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, August 18, 2016

At the end of May 2016, the Global Fund formally announced wambo.org, a new online marketplace where currently implementers of Global Fund grants can check prices and place orders for directly for medicines, other health products and non-health commodities. There are plans to expand the reach of wambo.org even further.

UNITAID and the Government of Canada are discussing with the Global Fund various ways that they can support wambo.org. The Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative is involved in the development and rollout of the wambo.org platform. Other potential partnerships are being explored.

The Global Fund refers to wambo.org as “the future of global public health procurement” and says that the marketplace is projected to save at least $250 million in its first four years by offering health implementers competitive prices.

There will be a staggered roll-out of available products and services. Currently, long-lasting insecticide nets (LLINs), anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), and artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are available on the platform. Malaria and HIV diagnostics, condoms and lubricants, and non-health products, such as vehicles, are scheduled for the third quarter of the year. Non-core health products (e.g. lab supplies) will be available by the fourth quarter.