African Nations Unite to Boost Local Vaccine Manufacturing for Universal Health Coverage
Nairobi, , 2024 — African nations convened at the 2nd Edition of the Global Event on Harnessing Private Sector Engagement for Sustainable Vaccine and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing in Africa, hosted in Nairobi.
The conference highlighted the urgent need for coordinated efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Goal Three on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by leveraging intracontinental capacities and global partnerships.
Health Cabinet Secretary Nakhumicha S. Wafula emphasized the critical role of enhancing local pharmaceutical manufacturing to meet the African Union's goal of developing regional pharmaceutical and regulatory capabilities.
“It is imperative that we consolidate our efforts to boost local vaccine production to secure sustainable health commodity supply chains,” remarked the CS during her keynote address.
Acknowledging the progress made through initiatives like the operationalization of regional bodies and the establishment of the Africa Medicines Agency, Nakhumicha stressed the necessity for substantial financial commitments.
She noted, “Africa's pharmaceutical industry, which grew to USD 28.56 billion in 2017, is projected to double by 2030. This growth underscores the opportunity to strategically position ourselves as a hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing." Despite rapid growth, challenges persist, including limited production capabilities, inadequate research and development investments, and regulatory fragmentation.
Nakhumicha highlighted these obstacles, urging for a harmonized approach across sectors to optimize local manufacturing potentials. “The dependency on imports for over 75% of pharmaceuticals and 98% of vaccines is unsustainable,” she emphasized, advocating for increased local production supported by favorable financing and regulatory frameworks.
The Kenyan government's proactive steps were also highlighted, including the establishment of the Kenya BioVax Institute to boost local production of health products. The CS emphasized Kenya's commitment to becoming a regional hub for pharmaceutical and biomanufacturing, aligning with President Dr. William Ruto's leadership as the AU champion for local manufacturing.
In the previous edition of the event, stakeholders agreed on key strategies including building manufacturing capacity, addressing health inequities through biomanufacturing, and strengthening public-private partnerships.
Among the attendees were Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC; representatives from the World Health Organization; pharmaceutical industry partners; delegates from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development; and Strategic Partners in Health.