Kigali, 06 December 2021. The 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Executive Council decision EX.CL/Dec. 1129 (XXXIX) recognized the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing PAVM as the coordinating mechanism and its leadership of the development of a continental vaccine manufacturing strategy and a framework for action. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and its partners have led the establishment of the PAVM with a clear mandate, operating model and governance structure. The four core mandates of the PAVM are to:
- Steward a continental strategy that maintains scale and cost-competitiveness of local manufacturing and promotes equity and security for all
- Support partnerships to create a conducive business environment that will encourage the emergence of a thriving manufacturing base
- Play intermediation and partner role between Member States and the global community of supporters on an as-needed basis
- Communicate updates and serve as the central source of information for Africa vaccine manufacturing
The PAVM is now an effective entity that has started to articulate a detailed strategy (“Framework for Action”) for the years to come and, at the same time, deliver on these core mandates. It thus is and will continue to be at the centre of the efforts to develop localised vaccine manufacturing in Africa, supporting all stakeholders – African Union Member States, financiers, and manufacturers.
“If Africa works in unity, we can strengthen health systems and manufacturing capacities to respond effectively to multiple health threats,” said Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
With 8.6 million infections and nearly 223,000 lives lost across the African continent, the impact of COVID-19 has already been severe, leading to economic and social disruption that has threatened more lives and livelihoods, putting years of human development progress in danger. “Africa has a historic opportunity to build a new public health order that makes health for all a reality across the continent,” added Dr. Nkengasong.
Since the launch of PAVM, several countries have made remarkable progress (Egypt, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa). Because countries are on an accelerated path, the Africa CDC, the African Union Development (AUDA-NEPAD), the African Medicines Agency (AMA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) convened a high-level stakeholder’s engagement meeting from 06 to 07 December in Kigali, Rwanda to prepare African Union Member States with the following objectives:
- Update on progress made so far on the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing in Africa;
- Agree on an AU-endorsed approach to facilitate regulatory approval of vaccines produced in Africa;
- Discuss critical market shaping needs once African countries produce vaccines; and
- Build on the momentum of vaccine manufacture hubs and pilot a drug API-final drug product Hub program.
A final Communiqué will be issued on the outcomes of the meeting.
About Africa CDC
Africa CDC is a specialized technical institution of the African Union that strengthens the capacity and capability of Africa’s public health institutions as well as partnerships to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats and outbreaks, based on data-driven interventions and programmes. Learn more at: www.africacdc.org
For further information, please contact:
Media Contact: PAVM@africa-union.org cc: NicaiseN@africa-union.org – KanikiC@africa-union.org – OnwekweE@africa-union.org
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Africa Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention |
E-mail: AfricaCDC@africa-union.org I Website: www.africacdc.org | Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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