CEO of DCVMN, Rajinder Suri, recently chaired an impactful conference on “Facilitating Technology Transfer to Promote Local Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines, and Health Technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa” Hosted in Gaborone, Botswana, from March 13th to 15th, 2024, this conference was organized by Dr Jicui Dong, Unit Head, Local Production & Assistance Unit (LPA), World Health Organization along with Africa CDC, and the European Union. The event highlighted the pressing need to address the scarcity of vaccine manufacturing technology and expertise across Africa.
The session chaired by Mr. Suri underscored the critical importance of technology transfer and partnerships in achieving continental and country-based strategies for vaccine manufacturing. With various vaccine manufacturing platforms in play, facilitating technology transfer to Sub-Saharan Africa is paramount for establishing and enhancing local vaccine production capabilities.
During the session, including a power packed presentation by Prof. Petro Terblanche, CEO-Afrigen Biologics (Pty) Ltd and two-panel discussions, first involving Dr. Morena Makhoana, CEO-Biovac and Dr. Stavros Nicolaou, Senior Executive-Strategic Trade, Aspen among others, and the second having Mr. Ken Osei, Principal Investment Officer at the IFC – International Finance Corporation and Dr. Kofi Nsiah-Poku shared vision, objectives and strategy focusing on innovation and explored opportunities for vaccine manufacturing, technology transfer, and partnerships. They shared invaluable experiences from planned and existing projects, gaining insights into effective strategies and challenges encountered. The overarching goal was to devise recommended solutions and map the way forward, informing strategic support for vaccine technology transfer in the region.
By fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and advocating for accessible vaccine manufacturing technology, we are taking significant strides toward building sustainable health ecosystems in Africa across all LMICs. Together, we can ensure equitable access to life-saving vaccines for all.
