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African leaders, particularly South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, sharply raised concerns about what was coined as ‘vaccine apartheid,’ as countries producing Covid-19 vaccines hoarded them and treated Africans as beggars.

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Sizwe sama Yende

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African leaders have resolved to produce vaccines locally instead of relying on the Global North.

The continent’s leaders took this historic decision on February 18 at the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This decision means that all AU states are now going to push for self-reliance and ensure that their goal to produce 60% of vaccines needed in Africa will be manufactured locally.

African countries’ vulnerability to access vaccines showed at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. African leaders, particularly South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, sharply raised concerns about what was coined as ‘vaccine apartheid,’ as countries producing Covid-19 vaccines hoarded them and treated Africans as beggars.

Even with the establishment of the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), which was designed to ensure rapid production and equitable access of vaccines, vaccine availability fell woefully short in achieving even the mid-2022, 70% vaccination target set by World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to a research paper published in the BMJ Global Health journal, the WHO target was never met by the end of 2022. “At the end of 2022, 69% of people globally had received a COVID-19 vaccine. In low and middle-income countries, however, vaccination coverage only reached just under 25% of the population.”

The initiative for the continent to produce its vaccines was spearheaded by the Africa Centres for Disease Control (ACDC). This initiative will see powerful future market for medical products by African manufacturers being created.

The African market size for medicines and vaccines is approximately US$50 billion (R944.2 billion) a year.

“Africa CDC will be leading the pooled procurement initiative in collaboration with continental and global partners. The move is also designed to ensure that African Union member states can get better deals on price,” the ACDC said in a statement.

The Director General of Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya said: “The decision means the creation of a robust market for manufacturers and ensures the health security of all Africans. This will be the second independence of Africa.”

The AU has also voted to appoint Kenya president, William Ruto, as the local manufacturing champion to ensure the continent reached its goal of vaccine self-reliance.

“This keeps local manufacturing high on the agenda for the continent and the world and prioritizes health security for the African population. Less than one percent of vaccines are currently manufactured on the continent. African leaders have a goal that 60% of the vaccines needed by the continent will be manufactured in Africa by 2040,” Ruto said.

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