As Africa grapples with multiple outbreaks of mpox, public health leaders say locally produced vaccines are essential to end reliance on donations and ensure the continent’s health. are.
Africa is currently seeking vaccines from wealthy countries to fight the latest mpox outbreak, which has been declared a continental and global health emergency by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). dependent.
The European Union has donated 50,000 doses of the vaccine to enable the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the epicenter of the outbreak, to begin its vaccination campaign earlier this month (5 October).
We are not producing vaccines in Africa, so we face the same challenges we encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. ”
Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Executive Director
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that causes a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, and fever, spread primarily through close contact with infected people.
The disease has spread rapidly in the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent months, with more than 6,000 infections and 25 deaths recorded this year.
Infections have also occurred in Nigeria, Kenya, Burundi, Uganda and Rwanda.
Despite requesting the mpox vaccine two years ago, during the last outbreak, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other low-income countries struggled to purchase the vaccine due to its high cost.
Africa CDC Director Jean Kaseya says the delays reflect inequalities in global health systems. He believes Africa needs to focus on local vaccine production to meet the needs of its people.
The reliance on donations reflects the challenges Africa has faced during the global coronavirus pandemic, Kaseya told SciDev.Net.
“Africa does not manufacture vaccines, so we face the same challenges we encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic of relying on external sources for vaccines,” Kaseya said at a press conference on MPX. told SciDev.Net.
“Local manufacturing remains important,” he stressed.
technology transfer
The Africa CDC is in talks with Danish vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic to transfer mpox vaccine technology to African producers in order to expand local manufacturing capacity.
In September, Bavarian Nordic announced that it was committed to increasing production of the JYNNEOS vaccine and was considering the possibility of transferring production to other companies, such as in Africa.
The Africa CDC then shared preliminary information with African manufacturers, nine of which expressed interest, but only one has the potential to produce the vaccine, Kaseya revealed.
Kasetani said the priority is local production, starting with the so-called “fill-and-finish” process, where vaccines are filled and packaged, usually using imported active ingredients called antigens.
According to a 2023 report co-authored by Africa CDC, Clinton Health Access Initiative, and PATH, Africa’s capacity to perform fill and finish operations far exceeds current demand.
“Money game”
Githinji Gitahi, CEO of Amref Health Africa, told SciDev.Net that uncertain market demand is a major hurdle for African vaccine makers.
He said strong and sustained demand is needed for local manufacturers to make production viable.
“To develop adequate vaccine manufacturing in Africa, it is important not only to have the technology and skills, but also to secure the market to sell the vaccines,” Gitahi said.
“Often, it is only after a threat crosses Africa’s borders into wealthy countries that demand is reflected in the market, prompting pharmaceutical companies to expand production. This is a money game,” he explained. did.
To break this cycle, Gitahi is advocating for groups like the Gabi Vaccine Alliance, a major vaccine buyer, to commit to purchasing vaccines made in Africa.
In May, at a conference hosted by the Africa CDC, African health ministers pledged to purchase vaccines produced within the continent. The agency is currently working with the government to translate these commitments into action.
“The joint procurement mechanism approved at the last AU summit is an important step towards creating predictable demand,” Kaseya told SciDev.Net.
“This will allow manufacturers to plan future production with confidence.”
In September, Africa CDC signed an agreement with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to support the implementation of a joint procurement system and further promote local manufacturing.
Regulatory hurdles
However, even with increased local manufacturing capacity, regulatory barriers remain a major challenge for African countries.
Currently, only a few countries have approved the mpox vaccine, and those without regulatory capacity rely on WHO approval before starting vaccination campaigns, even if a vaccine is available.
Chimwemwe Chamdimba, Director of the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) Programme, said the continent is facing a number of regulatory challenges, including a lack of skilled professionals and ineffective policies for expedited approvals in emergencies. I acknowledged the hurdles above.
He said AMRH has begun fast-tracking applications from manufacturers to evaluate and list mpox-related products.
“This process will also support joint procurement by Africa CDC and support to countries responding to mpox,” Chamudimba said.
He added that this could also pave the way for African vaccine makers to access regional markets, a key element for long-term success.
Gitahi agreed, saying that strengthening local manufacturing and regulatory capacity will not only ensure that Africa is not on the waiting list for vaccines in the event of a future pandemic, but will also develop skills and provide significant savings to the continent. He pointed out that it brings economic and social benefits.
