Imagine a period where all African children receive their vaccines on schedule and where locally made medications and vaccines enable prompt response to illness outbreaks. In order to ensure health security throughout the continent, the Africa CDC has transformed this vision into a real, observable reality rather than a pipe dream.
The Africa CDC is collaborating with member states of the African Union to actively encourage the purchase of vaccines produced in Africa and to give priority to projects that enhance domestic manufacture.
Being the first African firm to earn World Health Organization (WHO) Prequalification for its auto-disable (AD) syringe, Kenya-based Revital Healthcare EPZ is spearheading healthcare innovation. This noteworthy accomplishment represents a significant turn toward continental health commodity manufacturing becoming more self-sufficient.
AD syringes are locked after use, thereby prohibiting their reuse. They are made for use in bulk vaccination campaigns. This design lowers the possibility of infections from tainted needles and guarantees safe vaccinations. Revital Healthcare EPZ Limited is the continent’s top producer of medical devices, with exports to more than 30 nations worldwide. The company, which manufactures more than 50 types of medical gadgets, was essential in the fight against COVID-19 in Africa. This achievement shows how capable African producers may be in providing vital medical products for the continent.
The accomplishments of Revital Healthcare are in line with the strategic objective of the Africa CDC, which is to increase domestic production and innovation in health products across the continent. The agenda for domestic manufacturing has advanced considerably with the creation of important continental agencies and coordination bodies like the Africa Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation, African Medicines Agency, African Medical Supplies Platform, and Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing.
By 2040, Africa is expected to produce 60% of the vaccines required on the continent, according to the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing, an organization founded expressly to support the continent’s vaccine manufacturing industry. But in order to make sure that no nation is left behind, coordinated measures are needed to realize the goal of an independent Africa. For the purpose of creating integrated and uniform regulatory policies for the development of sustainable markets throughout Africa, effective coordination between these bodies is important. A revolutionary change that sees governments actively supporting these objectives and African producers meeting the continent’s demands for health commodities can be accomplished through action-oriented alliances and cooperative efforts of all stakeholders. Africa is leading the way in the development of strong, independent health systems by encouraging the expansion of domestic production, guaranteeing that health supplies are available for use whenever and wherever people need them.
