Health professionals affirm that vaccines are one of the most powerful tools in the health care system, playing a crucial role in fighting a number of infectious diseases that are caused by various types of microorganisms, such as germs, bacteria, viruses, fungi, or any other, and in maintaining public health and preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
As part of the efforts carried out to strengthen the health system, Ethiopia has been striving to provide effective services in a bid to produce a healthy, productive human capital. Accordingly, the country is undertaking several activities, joining hands with various governmental and nongovernmental organizations, stakeholders, and partners. Mainly, by expanding vaccine’s manufacturing industries and strengthening its capacity to produce vaccines at home, it is working to reduce the burden of infectious diseases and protect public health.
In essence, according to the Ministry of Health, Ethiopia is embarking on an ambitious plan to produce 60 percent of its vaccine demand domestically by 2040 for the reason that manufacturing vaccines locally is an essential step in the nation’s health system as it has an inevitable role in arresting infectious diseases through immunizing citizens.
Speaking to the media, State Minister with the Ministry of Health Frehiwot Abebe said that the country is undertaking several works to produce 60 percent of vaccines in the next 16 years.
One of the most important national strategic activities that are being carried out by the government is to increase domestic production including medical resources, and making quality health services fairly accessible to citizens by substituting imported products, she highlighted.
As to the State Minister, the African continent consumes nearly 25 percent of the globally produced vaccines to cover the 99 percent of the supply. Ethiopia also imports 99 percent of the vaccines it requires, she added.
The Ministry of Health is collaborating with relevant stakeholders and partners to capacitate and support manufacturers in the health industry to produce vaccines and health ingredients domestically, she indicated.
Ethiopia has an existing indigenous knowledge and culture of using its natural resources for medicinal purposes. Accordingly, traditional medicine is widely practiced in the country.
Therefore, the Ministry of Health is carrying out multifaceted activities to develop and produce the medicines scientifically through paying strategic attention to research and creating a self-sufficient organization in the sphere, according to the State Minister.
Frehiwot also called upon concerned bodies to strengthen their support, combine this valuable indigenous knowledge with modern medical practices, and turn it into results.
“Setting a target to produce vaccines at home is an encouraging move because it could bring a number of benefits, like job opportunities and saving foreign currency,” said Ayer Tena Health Science and Business College Instructor Mulatu Gebremariam in an exclusive interview held with regard to the nation’s ambition to produce immunization nationally.
Aiming to meet 60 percent of its needs for vaccines by producing them at home, Ethiopia is taking a significant step towards ensuring health security. Local vaccine production reduces dependency on global supply chains, which can be disrupted during emergencies and other similar cases, and ensures a more reliable and timely supply of vaccines for the population.
Vaccination is not only beneficial to individuals but also to communities through the concept of herd immunity, a way that a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, thus making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As to him, when a significant portion of the population is immunized, the spread of infectious diseases can be curtailed, protecting those who are not vaccinated, such as individuals with certain medical conditions or those who are too young to be vaccinated.
According to him, providing vaccines has a number of benefits in preventing disease and saving the lives of children. As vaccines are designed to build immunity against various infectious diseases, they can prevent illness and save lives by stimulating the body’s immune system and fighting pathogens. Thus, manufacturing the vaccines at home can meaningfully reduce the burden of infectious diseases and advance the health system, aside from securing hard currency that may be spent for purchasing vaccines.
Diseases such as polio, measles, and whooping cough, which once caused significant morbidity and mortality, have been drastically reduced or even eradicated in many parts of the world due to widespread vaccination.
He furthered that by increasing vaccine coverage, a country can prevent the outbreak of vaccine-preventable diseases, reducing the burden on the healthcare system and saving countless lives. Producing at their own facilities means citizens have access to vaccination and to be vaccinated easily.
Speaking on its economic benefits, Mulatu underlined that vaccination programs offer significant economic benefits because the breadwinner communities who are in the age range of 24–40 could be protected or lower the chance of getting infected with transmittable infectious diseases.
“Preventing diseases through vaccination reduces healthcare costs associated with treating illnesses. This includes not only direct medical costs but also indirect costs such as productivity loss due to illness or caretaking responsibilities.
Investing in vaccines can also stimulate economic growth by reducing the burden of diseases on communities. Healthy populations are more productive; and children who got vaccinated are more likely to attend school regularly, contributing to better educational outcomes and future economic stability.
Furthermore, vaccination programs often serve as a gateway to other health services, improving access to healthcare and encouraging regular health check-ups and preventive care.
As Ethiopia advances towards this ambition, the importance of producing vaccines in the nation’s health system cannot be neglected or overstated. Vaccines are a cornerstone of public health, providing immense benefits that extend beyond individual protection to encompass economic growth, health security, and overall societal well-being, he remarked.
What is more, the production of vaccines demands high technology and a skilled workforce. Above all, it is capital intensive. Thus, pertinent stakeholders, development partners as well as individual investors engaged in the healthcare industry should come together and support the effort, he underlined.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health announced that it will hold the first Domestic Medical Resource Production, Innovation Exhibition from June 22 to 27.
As Health State Minister Frehiwot Abebe stated, at the exhibition organized under the theme ‘Our Health is our products’, more than 150 small, medium and high-end medical equipment manufacturers will display their products.
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 2 JUNE 2024
