At the European Union-African Union summit in Brussels today the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced the first six countries to acquire the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines on the African continent. Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia have all applied and selected as recipients.
The announcement was made at an event hosted by the Council of Europe, France, South Africa and the WHO in the presence of President Macron, President Ramaphosa, President of the Council of Europe, Charles Michel and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. .
A global mRNA technology transfer center was established in 2021 to support manufacturers in low- and middle-income countries to produce their own targets, ensure they have all the necessary operating procedures and knowledge to make mRNA vaccines at international and international standards. standards.
Mainly designed to address the COVID-19 emergency, the facility has the potential to increase the production capacity of other products and, placing countries in the driver's seat when it comes to the types of vaccines and other products they need to address their health priorities. .
Depending on the infrastructure, staff and clinical research and control capacity available, WHO and partners will work with beneficiaries to improve road safety and put in place the necessary training and support to start producing vaccines as soon as possible.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “No other incident like the COVID-19 epidemic has shown that relying on a few companies to provide global public goods is limited, and dangerous. In the long run, the best way to deal with health emergencies and access to global health care is to greatly increase the capacity of all regions to produce the health products they need, with equal access as their primary end. "
President Cyril Ramaphosa, of South Africa, said: "This is a plan that will allow us to set our own goals and that, for us, is very important.
President Emmanuel Macron, of France, said: “Improved public health benefits, the support of the African health monarchy and economic development are key objectives of strengthening local production in Africa. In a connected world, we need strong and new partnerships between countries, development partners and other stakeholders to empower regions and countries to take care of themselves, in times of crisis and in times of peace. ”
President Charles Michel, Council of Europe, stated: “We need to build a place where all scientists, health professionals, and governments can come together for one purpose. Working together to build new solutions for the most valuable protection - our health and our lives. "
To ensure that all countries develop the necessary capacity to produce their own vaccines and other health technologies, WHO has been working to establish a biomanufacturing staff training center that will train people from all countries interested in scientific research and treatment and production capacity. The training center will be announced in the coming weeks.
In addition, current WHO law enforcement activities in low- and middle-income countries will grow with a global measurement tool that assesses international ability to ensure the quality, safety and effectiveness of health products and provide training where development is needed to build regulatory authorities. immediate and appropriate purpose for the future.
The WHO mRNA technology transfer center is part of a larger effort aimed at empowering low- and middle-income countries to produce their own vaccines, drugs and diagnoses to address health emergencies and achieve universal health care.
The first attempt focused on mRNA technology and biological sciences, which are important in the production of injections and can be used with other products, such as insulin to treat diabetes, cancer drugs and, possibly, vaccines for other important diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. The ultimate goal is to extend national and regional productivity capacity to all health technologies.
You must be logged in to post a comment.