Amref Health Africa has expressed strong criticism regarding the decision to hold the launch of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA) initiative in Paris instead of on the African continent. According to Amref, this decision represents a missed opportunity for Africa to showcase its growing capabilities and take ownership of its vaccine manufacturing future.
The AVMA initiative, co-hosted by France, the African Union, and Gavi, is aimed at exploring and expanding Africa’s vaccine manufacturing potential. However, by choosing Paris as the launch location, Amref believes that a crucial moment to highlight Africa’s progress and leadership in this field has been overlooked.
During the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Dr. Githinji Gitahi, CEO of Amref Health Africa, emphasized that Africa is working diligently to enhance its vaccine manufacturing capabilities. He argued that hosting the AVMA launch on African soil would have symbolized the continent’s leadership and ownership of this critical initiative.
Dr. Gitahi’s sentiments were echoed in a statement by Maureen Cherongis, Amref Health Africa’s Media and External Relations Officer. She quoted Dr. Gitahi as saying that holding the event in Africa would “promote localization and send a clear message that Africa is not merely a beneficiary but a leader in its health future.” This move, he suggested, would have underscored Africa’s autonomy and capacity in addressing its health needs, fostering a sense of empowerment and pride within African communities.
He highlighted the importance of shifting the power dynamic to local communities, stating, “We have to realize that the community is where the power is based. To serve the communities better, we must shift our mindset and give up our power. That is the challenge of localization: surrendering power makes us feel vulnerable and uncomfortable.” By emphasizing community engagement and local ownership, Dr. Gitahi believes that health initiatives can be more effective and sustainable.
Furthermore, Dr. Gitahi noted that launching the AVMA in Africa would have facilitated greater local engagement from a broad spectrum of stakeholders across the continent. This includes governments, health officials, manufacturers, scientists, civil society organizations, and the private sector. Such an inclusive approach would encourage robust collaborations tailored to Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities, ultimately strengthening the continent’s health systems and vaccine manufacturing capabilities.
Africa’s progress in vaccine manufacturing is already evident through significant milestones achieved by various local institutions. For instance, South Africa’s Biovac Institute is actively producing and distributing vaccines, while the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal, is renowned for its production of the yellow fever vaccine. Additionally, Egypt’s Vacsera is expanding its facilities to increase its vaccine production capacity. These local initiatives exemplify Africa’s commitment to building a resilient and self-sufficient vaccine supply chain, which is essential for ensuring better health outcomes and fostering economic growth across the continent.
Dr. Gitahi emphasized that the AVMA’s launch in Africa would have not only facilitated greater local engagement but also enhanced local media coverage, raising awareness and generating public interest within the continent. This, in turn, would build momentum and public support for the initiative, transforming the narrative towards African innovation and capability in addressing public health challenges. Such a narrative shift is crucial for promoting social accountability and inspiring pride among African communities.
Moreover, Dr. Gitahi highlighted that the launch in Africa would have provided an excellent opportunity to mobilize further support for the Africa Medicines Agency (AMA). The AMA plays a pivotal role in creating an enabling environment for vaccine manufacturing by providing regulatory oversight, facilitating capacity building, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders. By launching the AVMA in Africa, the initiative could have galvanized more support for the AMA, thereby strengthening the continent’s regulatory frameworks and capacity to produce vaccines.
Amref Health Africa’s criticism of the decision to launch the AVMA initiative in Paris rather than Africa underscores a broader concern about missed opportunities for the continent. By holding the event in Africa, stakeholders could have highlighted the continent’s progress and leadership in vaccine manufacturing, promoting local engagement, and fostering a sense of ownership and pride. Such a move would have also encouraged robust collaborations, strengthened local media coverage, and mobilized further support for critical institutions like the Africa Medicines Agency.
Africa’s journey towards enhancing its vaccine manufacturing capabilities is marked by significant achievements, and hosting the AVMA launch locally would have further cemented its commitment to building a resilient and self-sufficient health infrastructure. By focusing on local ownership and community engagement, Africa can better address its unique health challenges and ensure sustainable and effective health outcomes for its population. As Dr. Gitahi and Amref Health Africa have emphasized, the power to transform Africa’s health future lies within the continent itself, and it is crucial to seize every opportunity to demonstrate and enhance this capability.