Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Africa and a local pharmaceutical company are working to enhance vaccine production on the continent. The African Union’s public health agency and the South African pharmaceutical company are in discussions regarding a long-term framework aimed at increasing vaccine production in Africa, following the COVID-19 pandemic which revealed an over-reliance on imports.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Africa and the largest pharmaceutical company on the continent announced on Tuesday that the discussions focus on building effective markets for vaccines produced in Africa, as part of efforts to improve health security and reduce the continent’s dependence on imports.
Governments and health agencies across Africa are intensifying efforts to expand local production in the wake of disruptions and shortages of vaccine supplies during the pandemic.
Africa currently imports the vast majority of the vaccines it uses, despite consuming over a billion doses annually. The proposed collaboration aims to address this reliance by exploring a multi-year agreement to support local manufacturing capabilities and ensure supply security.
The discussions focus on selecting priority vaccine antigens, gradually increasing supplies to reach tens to hundreds of millions of doses annually, and pricing products in line with market standards, according to a statement from the two organizations.
They added that gaining a clearer picture of Africa’s long-term needs will also help stimulate investment in production capacities, while supporting more reliable access to vaccines manufactured on the continent.
The director general of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated, “These discussions with the local pharmaceutical company represent an important step towards translating Africa’s ambitions in vaccine manufacturing into a sustainable market reality.”
The company had previously stated its aim to establish itself as a leading vaccine manufacturer in Africa. The CEO mentioned that the company’s investments in sterilization manufacturing in South Africa and its advanced supply chain infrastructure will enable it to produce the necessary vaccines in large quantities. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Africa and the local company also indicated they would discuss supply, financing, and risk-sharing issues.
