WHO Unveils Africa Covid Vaccine Manufacturing Hub As Cases Surge
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa joined World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on June 21, 2021 to announce a consortium aimed at manufacturing mRNA vaccines - the technology used to produce the leading Covid-19 vaccines - in South Africa. "This initiative will not just benefit South Africa," said Ramaphosa by video link, "but working together with the Africa CDC and the WHO, we will make sure that it benefits the entire African continent." French President Emmanuel Macron gave a video message supporting the effort.
French company Biovac will act as vaccine developer; Cape Town-based Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines will lead the manufacturing; a consortium of universities will provide academic support and rMRNA expertise; and the Africa CDC will give technical and regional support. Tedros welcomed the promise of expanding sustainable access to health products, and Ramaphosa said Africa "cannot continue to rely on vaccines from outside Africa. They never come, and people continue to die".
WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said South Africa has both capacity and experience in conducting clinical trials, which newer vaccines in development will need - not just for Covid, but for other vaccines as well. At the same time, she said, if large pharmaceutical companies would agree to share their technology for already approved vaccines, the new African hub could be producing vaccines within 12 months. The announcement comes as Covid cases escalate across the continent. "Africa is in the midst of a full blown third wave", says Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. "The sobering trajectory of surging cases should rouse everyone into urgent action. We've seen in India and elsewhere just how quickly Covid-19 can rebound and overwhelm health systems. So public health measures must be scaled up fast to find, test, isolate and care for patients and to quickly trace their contacts."
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South Africa:
SA to Become Africa's First Vaccine Manufacturing Hub
SAnews.gov.za, 22 June 2021
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is working with South Africa to establish the continent's first COVID mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub. Read more »
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Africa:
WHO Supporting South Africa to Establish COVID mRNA Vaccine Technology Transfer Hub
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The World Health Organization (WHO) and its COVAX partners are working with a South African consortium comprising Biovac, Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines, a network of universities… Read more »
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Nigeria:
WTO Head Hails Planned Vaccine Hubs in Africa
Premium Times, 21 June 2021
The trade body also considers Senegal and Rwanda. Read more »
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Africa:
Director-General's Opening Remarks at the Media Briefing on COVID-19
WHO, 21 June 2021
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening. Read more »
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Africa:
Africa Appeals for Vaccines to Combat Third Wave of Covid-19
VOA, 19 June 2021
African health officials are urgently appealing for vaccines to combat a third wave of COVID-19 surging across the continent. Read more »
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Africa:
Covid-19 Cases Surge in Africa, Near First Wave Peak
Africa Renewal, 17 June 2021
A lack of adherence to transmission prevention measures has fuelled the new surge that coincides with colder seasonal weather in southern Africa and as more contagious variants… Read more »
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Africa:
G7 Announces Pledges of 870 Million Covid-19 Vaccine Doses
WHO, 13 June 2021
COVAX welcomes dose sharing commitments for 870 million additional doses to support equitable access to vaccines in 2021 and 2022, with the aim to deliver at least half by the end… Read more »
A health official disinfects people arriving at Wilkins Hospital, in Harare, May 12, 2021.
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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a WHO briefing on the establishment of transfer hub for #COVID19 vaccines in his country. He spoke along with French President Emmanuel Macron and WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.