2023-12-12 03:07:14
[LUSAKA] Zambia is committed to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC) to establish the continent’s cholera vaccine production center on its soil.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema made this known during the third International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) held in Lusaka, Zambia from November 27 to 30, 2023.
“We want Zambia to be seen as the manufacturer of the cholera vaccine,” he said.
“We were able to think about the roadmap in terms of what is needed for local vaccine manufacturing to come to fruition. We will be able to reach 60% of vaccines manufactured on the continent”
Indeed, in an interview with SciDev.Net on the sidelines of the conference, Akhona Tshangela, coordinator of the PAVM program[1] at Africa CDC, revealed that the oral cholera vaccine has been included among the 22 priority vaccines to be produced locally.
“Several vaccine candidates have been proposed for production on the continent, whether Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) vaccines or new vaccines such as those against tuberculosis and malaria,” confirms Kudzai Makomva, associate Director of Market Access Africa, an organization that provides transformational health solutions for Africa.
Akhona Tshangela highlights that among the vaccines at the top of the priority list, the local manufacturing of oral cholera vaccines on the continent has been specifically identified, in response to a growing demand for this type of vaccine.
According to him, this initiative aims to solve the critical problem of supply exacerbated by limited production capacity and logistical challenges linked to the supply chain.
Because, SciDev.Net has learned that currently, the production of this vaccine is carried out by a limited number of organizations, and the commitment to local production represents a strategic response to alleviate these constraints and strengthen access to cholera vaccine.
Therefore, the “Lusaka Declaration” adopted during this conference advocates for local solutions through the establishment of local production of vaccines, diagnostics, therapies and other medical products.
1% of vaccines produced in Africa
According to Africa CDC, approximately 1% of vaccines, 5% of diagnostics and 30% of therapeutic products used in Africa are currently manufactured on the continent.
Experts therefore highlight the urgent need to strengthen Africa’s medical production capacities in order to improve its medical self-sufficiency and reduce its vulnerability to supply disruptions.
“Over the last two years, we have been able to think about the roadmap in terms of what is needed for local vaccine manufacturing to come to fruition. We will be able to reach 60% of vaccines manufactured on the continent and intended for use by the population,” maintains Akhona Tshangela.
Currently some countries are in the preparation phase for the establishment of vaccine manufacturing industries, in particular messenger RNA vaccines which will be manufactured in Africa. These include Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa. But other countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco and Tunisia also want to get started.
Jean Kaseya, the director general of Africa CDC, emphasizes that local manufacturing of vaccines and other medical products would represent Africa’s second independence.
He adds that increasing local production of vaccines, medicines and diagnostics would be an important way to improve public health on the continent.
However, “Africa lacks infrastructure, production capacity and know-how to create a robust ecosystem and other medical products that we need,” regrets Jean Kaseya.
This is why, affirms the latter, “beyond vaccines, African countries have decided to create the platform for the harmonized manufacturing of health products in Africa (PHAHM)”.
Feasibility assessment
According to Kudzai Makomva, innovation is happening at different levels on the continent, but is generally in its infancy.
For the latter, countries must make robust feasibility assessments, examining market size and commercialization opportunities, before embarking on the significant investments that are required.
She adds that countries also need to work together to collectively contribute to manufacturing efforts. It may not be necessary or productive, she explains, to try to have independent vaccine manufacturing in each country for example; but different countries may participate in different activities and in different parts of the value chain.
Kudzai Makomva finally argues that some countries can specialize in different pharmaceutical and biotechnology segments such as diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics, etc.
As for Sylvia Masebo, Zambian Minister of Health, she believes that “political will is necessary to build sustainable health systems. However, leaders must take a holistic approach and work with other ministries concerned with health. Sanitation, education, for example.”
In 2020, the messenger RNA technology center Afrigen established in 2014 in South Africa has been recognized by the WHO and the Medicines Patent Pool as a benchmark for low and middle income countries.
In 2021, African leaders committed to increasing the share of vaccines manufactured in Africa from 1% in 2021 to 60% in 2040. In 2022 the African Medicines Agency (AMA) was created in Rwanda.
Currently, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia are home to vaccine manufacturing plants that provide 1% of Africa’s current vaccine consumption.
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