Call for applications: The Africa CDC Launches short-course training in vaccine manufacturing standard practices (GxP) at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)

Background

The African Union (AU)/ Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have called for a New Public Health Order which will safeguard the health and economic security of the continent as it strives to meet the aspirations of Agenda 2063. A key pillar of this mandate seeks to expand the local manufacture of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Less than one percent of vaccines administered on the continent are manufactured locally. The Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) was established by the AU, under the Africa CDC, in 2021 to deliver a bold goal: enabling the African vaccine manufacturing industry to develop, produce, and supply over 60 percent of the total vaccine doses required on the continent by 2040.

Scaling vaccine manufacturing and R&D across the continent to meet the AU’s 2040 ambitions will require quadrupling the vaccine workforce to approximately 12,500 full-time employees (FTEs). To respond to the immediate vaccine manufacturing talent needs and actualize the short-term vision, Africa CDC in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in the Republic of South Korea organizing short-term training in an introductory course for standard practice (GxP).

Scope of the course:

• The purpose of this introductory course for standard practices is to equip the participants representing the biomanufacturing workforce from LMICs with the essential skills required to operate according to current good practices. This course will be conducted in-person over three weeks from 30^th October to 17^th November 2023, and will include didactic and practice sessions on:
• Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
• Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
• Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP)
• Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
• BiosafetyCourse

Duration: 3 weeks (Didatic and practical sessions)

Practical/ hands-on training available: Yes

Eligibility:

• At least a bachelor’s degree in a life science field related to biomanufacturing
• A position as a technician, engineer, scientist, vaccine/medicine regulator or manager with up to 6 years of experience in biomanufacturing and regulation or any other relevant functions
• Employment by a company registered as a legal entity in Africa conducting activities in the scope of biomanufacturing or vaccine regulation
• Nationality or citizenship of, and residency in, an Africa Union (AU) member state
• At least an intermediate level of spoken and written English language
• Demonstrate in the application how the skills and competencies acquired during the training will be applied after the training in the institution the participant is coming from
• Demonstrate in the application the relevance to a professional project
• Demonstrate in the application the expectations, knowledge, skills, and expectations from their institution
• Citizen of an African Union Member state
• Must possess a valid passport
• Must be available to participate in the Training in Seoul South Korea

Selection process

The Africa CDC PAVM will set up a committee to review all applications, and only those selected will be contacted for further processes. Only 25 candidates will be selected.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted by filling in the application form available at this link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1JIOR8vkzrQRovyMnpWbf86VTJhkithce5HxDIY_Qzys/edit

Financing

The selected candidates will be fully funded by the Africa CDC with the support of the Ministry of Health and Welfare South Korea and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). The funding includes:

• Tuition fees at the IVI (Ministry of Health & Welfare South Korea)
• Return tickets from home country to Soul, South Korea (Africa CDC).
• Accommodation (IVI)
• Daily subsistence allowances (DSA) for the duration of the training (Africa CDC)
• Visa fees reimbursements (Africa CDC)

IMPORTANT DATES

• Deadline for Application: 30^th June 2023
• Selected candidates will be notified by 20^th July 2023

Africa CDC welcomes applications from all qualified persons from all AU Member states regardless of their gender, race, disability, religious belief, caste, or marital status. Young women are encouraged to apply. For more information, contact: PAVM@africa-union.org