![]() ![]() Gavi's ten-point plan for developing and strengthening vaccine manufacturing in Africa set out the key actions needed to diversify and secure vaccine supply in Africa and support of the AU's vision, including the need for Gavi to update the Alliance's market shaping model to assign greater value to vaccine supply resilience in Africa.Īs part of the ten-point plan, Gavi set out the need for a new financial instrument that would send a powerful signal to global markets that Gavi will support the development of African vaccine manufacturing. Since 2001, Gavi has become one of the world’s largest buyers of vaccines, working closely with African countries and manufacturers to shape the market for vaccines, and helping to expand the number of manufacturers of Gavi-supported vaccines from 5 producers to 19. So when the African Union (AU) set a bold target for African countries to produce and supply more than 60% of the continent's vaccine requirements by 2040, Gavi was a natural partner to help chart a collective path towards a sustainable manufacturing ecosystem in the region. Since 2001, Gavi has become one of the world's largest buyers of vaccines, working closely with African countries and manufacturers to shape the market for vaccines, and helping to expand the number of manufacturers of Gavi-supported vaccines from 5 producers to 19. At the same event, Gavi interim CEO David Marlow signalled Gavi's commitment to work with partners to "drive an African vaccine revolution, creating an industry that can boost economies, create jobs and help ensure that when the next pandemic hits, vaccines made in Africa are ready to protect populations". Speaking at the annual International Conference on Public Health in Africa in November 2023, Dr Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), likened this to the continent's 'second independence'. At the same time, a strong vaccine manufacturing sector in Africa could benefit the overall health of vaccine markets globally. Africa already accounts for around 20% of the world's population, yet the continent's vaccine industry provides only around 0.2% of global supply.Ī sustainable expansion of Africa's vaccine manufacturing capacity would have a double payoff for the continent, contributing to the growth of a high-value biotechnology sector on the continent at the same time as supporting pandemic and outbreak prevention and response. And no region stands to benefit more from sustainable growth in its vaccine manufacturing sector.Īt present, demand for vaccines in Africa is valued at over US$ 1 billion annually, with this figure projected to grow along with the continent's population over the next several decades. No region felt the negative effects of COVID-19 vaccine inequity more than Africa. ![]() ![]() A sustainable expansion of Africa’s vaccine manufacturing capacity would have a double payoff for the continent, contributing to the growth of a high-value biotechnology sector on the continent at the same time as supporting pandemic and outbreak prevention and response. Other regions, by stark contrast, were locked out of access during the early days of the pandemic, as vaccine nationalism and market failure initially held sway. The countries and regions with the strongest research, manufacturing and regulatory ecosystems were the first to access COVID-19 vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the strategic importance of access to vaccine manufacturing into the public eye and to the forefront of the minds of policymakers. The African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA) is designed to make up to US$ 1 billion available over the next ten years to support the sustainable growth of Africa's manufacturing base, which has the potential to not only contribute to healthy global vaccine markets, but also benefit outbreak and pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and resilience. A new instrument has just been approved that could help catalyse the sustainable growth of vaccine manufacturing in Africa. ![]()
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