Novo Nordisk's deal with local manufacturer Aspen to produce insulin in vials aims to supply the diabetes treatment for Africa, but critics say it doesn't deal with the real issue: South Africans have a right to use insulin pens, but these are running out in public hospitals because of Novo Nordisk's decision to not tender to sell it to the Health Department anymore.

In 2023, Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk announced a deal with local drug manufacturer Aspen to produce human insulin in vials on their behalf for Africa.

But, says human rights lawyer and founder of the Health Justice Initiative Fatima Hassan, "they're trying to frame this licence as progressive, but Novo Nordisk's restrictions are taking us to the Dark Ages".

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and controls blood sugar levels by helping cells absorb glucose for energy. If someone's pancreas doesn't make (enough) insulin they have a condition called diabetes and may have to inject themselves with a lab-made hormone called human insulin to mimic the body's natural sugar control system.

Novo Nordisk says it aims to make enough insulin for just more than one million people in Africa (about 16 million vials) by 2026 - at roughly R45 ($3) a pop.

About 24 million people in Africa have diabetes, set to at least double in the next 20 years, but only about 1% of what the world pays towards diabetes care is spent in Africa.

The snag, though, is that the medicine will be made available in vials, not injection...