South Africa will receive a new hub to manufacture vaccines, states President Cyril Ramaphosa.
According to News24, South Africa’s Biovac Institute has partnered with France, Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines, a range of universities, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to develop Africa’s first COVID messenger RNA vaccine technology hub.
The announcement came after a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, June 21, aided by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The establishment of this hub will enable the manufacturing of vaccines, medicines and other health-related products to scale up production, reports Times Live.
This incredible initiative will place Africa on the path of self-determination, stated Ramaphosa. While this historic move will undoubtedly benefit South Africa, Ramaphosa stated that it will benefit Africa as a whole.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the full extent of the vaccine gap between developed and developing economies, and how that gap can severely undermine global health security.
“This landmark initiative is a major advance in the international effort to build vaccine development and manufacturing capacity that will put Africa on a path to self determination,” Ramaphosa said.
According to Ramaphosa, this initiative will change the narrative of a poorly developed and disease-centered Africa.
“We will create a narrative that celebrates our successes in reducing the burden of disease and in advancing self-reliance and sustainable development. This will enhance our capacity to take responsibility for the health of our people,” Ramaphosa continued.
Picture: Cape Town ETC Gallery