ADDIS ABABA – The African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC)expressedreadiness to cover 60% of Africa’s vaccine demand by 2040.
Briefing media, Africa-CDC Director General Jean Kaseya (MD) said that with a focus on vaccine production, the Africa-CDC has initiated a program to achieve at least 60 percent of vaccine self-sufficiency by 2040.
While the effort is still in the preparatory phase, the program has already achieved notable successes, he added.
The center has been working focusing on three main areas to support the agenda of equity, self reliance and public health security, he mentioned.
He highlighted the impact of communicable and non-communicable diseases controlling mechanism efforts on Africa’s healthcare system including HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Cholera, Ebola, and others.
These diseases exert a considerable burden on the continent’s productive population, the Director General stated.
The Africa-CDC is actively involved in promoting local vaccine production, enhancing testing capacities, and improving access to healthcare services to strengthen Africa’s health system, he added.
The ultimate objective is to ensure a more robust and self-sufficient health infrastructure for Africans, he said, adding that the agency also strives for persistent progress in vaccine production to pave the way for Africa’s self-reliance in pharmaceutical supplies.
Kaseya urged African countries to support local pharmaceutical companies, irrespective of social, economic, and political considerations.
Achieving the goals set by the Africa-CDC depends on providing necessary support to drug manufacturing companies across the continent. Furthermore, Africa can ensure its own sustainable supply of essential drugs and vaccines, he noted.
The Africa-CDC is a public health agency of the African Union to support the public health initiatives of member states and strengthen the capacity of their health institutions to deal with disease threats.
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2024
