A resolution has been adopted by the African Union to ensure that 60% of vaccines utilised in Africa are domestically produced by 2040.
President William Ruto, while in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a meeting on vaccine manufacturing in Africa convened by the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), emphasized the critical nature of African nations producing vaccines to combat the spread of various disease pandemics.
President Ruto disclosed that the majority of African nations were severely impacted, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic that was observed on a global scale and caused a greater demand for Covid vaccines.
“The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the dire state of Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing, including that of vaccines. We were the last continent to access Covid-19 vaccines, and suffered greatly from ‘vaccine nationalism’,” He said.
The head of state remarked that Africa possesses the necessary research capabilities to produce vaccines.
“This is underpinned by our solid research capacity in vaccines. Kenya, for instance, participated in the Covid-19 vaccine trials,” revealed Ruto.
In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) hosted a summit concerning vaccine manufacturing in Africa. In addition to President Mohamed al-Menfi of Libya and Brahim Ghali of Sahrawi, numerous heads of state were in attendance.
In addition to Ahmed Hachani, the Prime Minister of Tunisia, Director General of the IVI Jerome Kim and Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Jean Kaseya were present.
