In February 2024 Africa CDC announced that African leaders had agreed on a pooled procurement mechanism at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa. Africa CDC commented that this decision will create a “robust future market” for medical products for African manufacturers.
“This decision is significant because it creates predictable demand so manufacturers can plan for the long term to create a viable vaccine manufacturing ecosystem.”
The African market for medicines and vaccines is estimated to be around $50 billion each year. Africa CDC is to lead the pooled procurement initiative, supported by continental and global partners, to ensure that African Union Member States get “better deals on price”. Director General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, looks forward to the effects of this decision.
“The decision means creating a robust market for manufacturers and ensuring the health security of all Africans. This will be the second independence of Africa.”
A local manufacturing champion
Africa CDC also reports that the African Union voted to appoint H.E. President William Ruto of Kenya as a “local manufacturing champion” to ensure that the continent achieves the goal of “vaccine self-reliance”.
“This keeps local manufacturing on the agenda for the continent and the world and prioritises health security for the African population.”
The African Union also voted to broaden Africa CDC’s mandate to incorporate the manufacturing of medicines and diagnostics as well as vaccines.
Ground-breaking for AU-PANVAC
Another vaccine update from the continent came from the African Union, which announced the ground-breaking ceremony for a new laboratory complex of the African Union Pan Veterinary Vaccine Centre (AU-PANVAC), scheduled for the 21st February in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. In partnership with the US Defence Threat Reduction Agency, the facility with “align with international standard on biosafety and biosecurity” and “empower the Centre to fulfil its mandate more effectively”.
AU-PANVAC was established as a Specialised Technical Office (STO) of the AUC and is “at the forefront of the fight” against animal and zoonotic diseases. Its mission is to “promote the use of good quality vaccines and reagents for the control and eradication of animal diseases in Africa”.
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