African CDC seeks 'continental capacity' to produce its own Coronavirus vaccines

The director of the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on March 11 said that the continent must develop the capacity to produce its own coronavirus vaccines. According to AP, Africa is lagging in its effort to vaccinate 60 per cent of its 1.3 billion people as quickly as possible. Several African nations have begun giving jabs, but experts have said that the continent needs much larger volumes of doses for massive campaigns in a bid to inoculate more than half of the region’s people. 

African countries are getting vaccines from the international COVAX initiative and from donors like India, China and Russia. Health experts have said that the continent’s dependence on imported vaccines may all be a hindrance to the inoculation drive. Previously, Africa had set the goal of vaccinating 60 per cent of its population by the end of this year; however, now the target is set for a year later, i.e., by the end of 2022. 

Important for Africa to have ‘vaccine security’ 

During a press briefing, African CDC director Dr. John Nkengasong said that at least five African countries, including South Africa, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, appear to have the capacity to produce vaccines. Nkengasong added that a meeting is planned for April 12 between the African Union and outside partners to create a “roadmap” for boosting African capacity to eventually produce the COVID-19 vaccine. He said that it is so important for the continent to have vaccine security. 

Birgitte Markussen, head of the European Union delegation to the African Union, in a separate statement said that efforts will be made to support local production of the vaccine. She said that solidarity is important to make sure no one is left behind in the global efforts to stop the pandemic. Further, Markussen added that as more doses continue to be delivered, the real task will be to ensure rapid deployment of vaccines and associated supplies of equipment in the right condition, the right quantities and also in the right places. 

Meanwhile, Nkengasong informed that at least 22 of Africa's 54 countries have received COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX initiative to ensure that low- and middle-income countries receive vaccines. He said that shipments range from a few thousand doses to millions sent to countries ranging from Nigeria to Uganda. Further, the CDC director said that the vaccine arrivals in recent days have left him happy and feeling that there is “light at the end of the tunnel”. 

(Image: AP)