Enhancing Africa’s Health Security: Key Insights and Next Steps from the Manufacturing Forum

Cairo, February 5, 2025 – This week, Cairo hosted the 2nd Vaccine and Other Health Products Manufacturing Forum. Organized by Africa CDC, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Regionalized Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative (RVMC), and the Unified Procurement Authority of Egypt, the forum gathered key players in health manufacturing.

Among the attendees were African Union Health Ministers, regulatory authorities, manufacturers, investors, and international partners. They came together to tackle challenges in local manufacturing and explore how to boost production of vaccines and health products in Africa.

The forum featured panel discussions and presentations focusing on strategies to overcome barriers that have hindered manufacturing in the past. Topics included improving regulatory environments, increasing access to financing, and ensuring demand for African-made products.

Since the first Manufacturers Marketplace event in Morocco in 2023, significant progress has been made, including:

• The establishment of Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, which will invest $1.2 billion over ten years to enhance vaccine production.
• A commitment from the African Union to create a Pooled Procurement Mechanism for African medical products.
• Over $3.5 billion pledged by global donors and development finance institutions.
• More African national regulatory authorities achieving WHO Maturity Level 3 status for non-vaccine products.
• The creation of an RVMC secretariat to enhance collaboration across various sectors to advance manufacturing.

Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, emphasized the importance of building a sustainable local manufacturing ecosystem. “Not only will this meet health needs, but it will also drive economic growth,” she stated. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, added that the continent must focus on producing its own vaccines and health products to ensure health security.

Dr. Frederik Kristensen from RVMC expressed pride in co-hosting the event, highlighting that it signals a commitment to improving vaccine equity and health security across Africa. Challenges remain, such as limited access to finance and a skilled workforce, but the forum provided a platform for sharing ideas and taking decisive action toward self-sufficiency in healthcare.

This gathering represents a vital step for Africa’s health independence, aiming to bolster local manufacturing capabilities and ultimately serve the needs of its 1.4 billion people.