The Africa CDC recalls the considerable efforts of Africa to timely access vaccines as Member States of the Union considered vaccines as the most effective means in the pandemic response. Through its Heads of States and Government, the AU and Africa CDC called for equitable and timely access to and receipt of vaccines. A call which in many instances went unanswered by the international community and industry.

Its public evidence that Covid-19 vaccines were delivered late to Africa, long after vaccines were made available to the developed world. Such actions significantly contributed to lower the demand for vaccines once these eventually were made available for Africa. We must also acknowledge that this late availability of vaccines to Africa, significantly affected the course of the pandemic, as well as the uptake and demand for vaccines.

With the view to mobilise funds and find a responsive solution, African Union established the AU Covid-19 response fund and launched the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) with the African Export and Import Bank (Afrexim Bank). AVAT acquired 400 million vaccines from manufacturers other than Moderna, simply because Moderna vaccines were not made available, despite attempts to buy. In fact, less than 5% of the covid-19 vaccines administered in Africa, were from Moderna. Despite these African efforts, Covid-19 vaccines were still delivered late to Africa, long after vaccines were made available to the developed world.

Through its consortium for Covid-19 Vaccine Clinical Trials (CONCVACT) Africa CDC also played a coordination role in facilitating the start and successful completion of clinical trials during the pandemic, strengthening enablers of high-quality vaccines clinical trials on the continent, and in accelerating post-trial vaccines regulatory approval.

Therefore, to blame Africa and Africa CDC for lack of demand for covid-19 vaccines and therefore the reason to put on hold plans to manufacture vaccines in Africa, only serves to perpetuate the inequity that characterized the response to the Covid–19 pandemic. While other vaccine manufacturers are progressing with their plans and construction in Africa, Moderna is abandoning a commitment to build highly needed and relevant vaccine manufacturing capabilities in Africa, in truth, demonstrating that Moderna’s commitment is in fact not to vaccine equity and access to vaccines, through building manufacturing in Africa.

Africa CDC, as mandated by Heads of State of African governments, will continue to advocate, and support the establishment of a strong local vaccine manufacturing ecosystem, which supports research and development, and local manufactures’ capacity to serve the African Union continental vision of producing 60% of vaccines, therapeutics, and other medical products by 2040. Nevertheless, Africa CDC acknowledge that building vaccine manufacturing infrastructure and capabilities, is complex, takes a long time, and requires significant investment. That is why we, through our Partnership for African Vaccine manufacturing (PAVM), now renamed PHAHM – Platform for Harmonized African Health Products Manufacturing, will continue to work towards building and strengthening African manufacturing, with our member states, international finance institutions, regulators, and partners, including vaccine manufacturers. This forms part of our comprehensive and African approach to pandemic preparedness and prevention, and we encourage Moderna, as an experienced vaccine manufacturer, to contribute to, and support, Africa’s ambitious goal of a secure and safe Africa on public health security for the betterment of African health security and beyond.

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The Roundtable hosted by Africa CDC in partnership with Mastercard Foundation under the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative, addressed the urgent need to develop a sustainable vaccine Research and Development (R&D) workforce in Africa. The panel of experts from leading organizations, stressed the need for innovative financing and greater coordination to overcome the continent’s R&D and manufacturing talent deficits. One key takeaway was the call to cultivate partnerships, boost workforce development, and champion the complete localization of the R&D value chain.

Enhancing capacity through intra-continental collaboration is important, and political support  is critical to bridge the significant gaps in R&D and manufacturing. Efforts are underway to establish a network of regional capacity and capability centers, enabling African research institutions to collaborate and share resources. During the keynote panel on ‘Implementing Vaccine Manufacturing in Africa.’Dr. Abebe Genetu Bayih, the Acting Coordinator of the Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM), emphasized the need for synergy among African member states. He outlined Africa CDC’s pivotal role in streamlining efforts and fostering demand for locally produced health products, underlining the need for R&D, workforce development, technology transfer and ensuring vaccine manufacturers in Africa have a sustainable market and economies of scale through the pooled procurement mechanism. The session on Global Health and Monoclonal Antibodies shed light on the essential function of monoclonal antibodies in tackling diseases in lower-middle-income countries, focusing on the hurdles of cost and regulatory barriers to access.

Dr. Yewande Alimi, the One Health Unit Lead at Africa CDC, highlighted the importance of vaccines as a cost-effective intervention to reduce infections and the subsequent need for antimicrobial consumption, which drives AMR. She underscored the need to scale up local manufacturing for relevant vaccines and increase policy investments in Africa’s   manufacturing ecosystem during the panel session on “Defining the Value of Vaccines Against AMR.” She called for simplified AMR messaging to the public and policy makers to promote the value of vaccines as a cost-effective intervention for low and middle income countries.  

Furthermore, discussions on building healthcare supply chains for regional production in Africa addressed overcoming trade barriers and fostering public-private partnerships to enhance local manufacturing coordination and capabilities.

The Africa CDC exhibition booth showcased Africa CDC’s work in the vaccine ecosystem, including efforts through the Platform for Harmonized African Health Products Manufacturing (PHAHM), the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative, Antimicrobial Resistance, and One Health and other health programs. The event attracted 4,000 attendees, including 450 speakers and 250 exhibitors, all committed to advancing the global vaccine value chain.

Health Security for Africa means access to safe and effective vaccines, and the Africa CDC is committed to expanding local manufacturing of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, a key strategy that is essential for achieving Africa’s self-sufficiency and significantly enhancing global health security.

Media inquiries: Ms. Ndahafa Nakwafila| Communication and Public Information Directorate, Africa CDC, Email: Communications@africacdc.org | NakwafilaN@africacdc.org

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