WHO MULLS CREATION OF MRNA COVID-19 VACCINE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER HUB IN SOUTH AFRICA

Mon 21 June 2021:

The World Health Organization (WHO) is planning to set up a technology transfer hub in South Africa for the country to produce its own messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccines and provide necessary training to local manufacturers, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday.

“Today, I’m delighted to announce that WHO is in discussions with a consortium of companies and institutions to establish a technology transfer hub in South Africa. The consortium involves a company Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines which will act as the hub, both by manufacturing mRNA vaccines and by providing training to a second manufacturer called Biovac.

In time, Afrigen could provide training to other manufacturers in Africa and beyond,” Tedros told a press briefing.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in turn, noted that Africa was now close to being able to manufacture vaccines and medicine-related products on its own.

“Through this initiative and others, we will change the narrative of an Africa that is a center of disease and poor development,” Ramaphosa said.

So far, 43 African countries have joined the WHO-led COVAX facility, which aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines globally. Africa aims to vaccinate at least 20% of the population by providing up to 600 million doses by the end of 2021.

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