Experts in the Health sector and government representatives at the launch of the Independent Task Team on Equitable and Universal Access to Vaccines and Vaccination in Africa have said that the continent would become self-sufficient in vaccine production
Nigeria’s former President of Nigeria and Chairman of the Coalition on Dialogue in Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, said at the Launch in Okada, Edo State that many African researchers, doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers are constantly being drawn out of the continent to serve in other continents.
“They use their intellect to serve the needs of other continents, and most times without being duly credited or acknowledge for their intellectual investments, while our own health systems are underdeveloped. We need to reverse this trend and begin to take actions to harness our local resources to solve our local problems.I have always believed that Africa’s main challenge is not the lack of funds or resources. Our main challenge is the inability to harness available resources to provide customized home-grown solutions needed to address the challenges we see across the continent,“ Obasanjo said.
The Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission, Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa, said that heralds a renewed involvement of the private sector in finding solutions to the challenges associated with vaccines and vaccinations in Africa.
“The private sector is the spirit of any nation because they give direction to human and economic development. When businesses don’t play their role of uplifting the morale and helping to raise living standards sustainably, they lose their relevance.”
She said that it is essential for the African private sector to be involved in public health research that will help find solutions to the health problems on the continent, most importantly at this time, the limited access to vaccines and vaccination.
“Strengthening Africa’s health systems requires a convergence of the private sector, policymakers, the community, the civil society, and healthcare practitioners. I am very much delighted that Igbinedion University Okada is taking up the challenge to champion this new initiative that will help increase the research, development, manufacturing, and distribution of vaccines in Africa. I am confident that the platform that will be created by the initiative will help bring relevant stakeholders together to dialogue, consult and come up with great ideas and actions that will raise the public health profile in Africa to a whole new level. This private sector-led initiative being launched today as a partnership between the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA), Igbinedion University, Pan-African Manufacturers Association, and other partners is a wake-up call to other private universities and businesses in Africa to contribute towards strengthening healthcare services across the continent.“ Dr Nsanzabaganwa,said.
She also said that it was important for the private sector to strengthen health facilities for business to thrive.
“Strengthening healthcare provision is not just about making donations, it must include addressing the root causes of our healthcare problems, one of which is research and development. I salute the courage of the founders and management of Igbinedion University for accepting the challenge to champion efforts to strengthen vaccine research, development and manufacturing in Africa and call on other private sector players in Africa to join the coalition by making meaningful investments in vaccine research and development on the continent,“ she explained.
Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said the Launch of CoDA Independent Task Team on the Development of Vaccines and Equitable, Universal Access to Essential Vaccines and Vaccinations in Africa was a great initiative that would take Africa to the next level.
“Nigeria will bid for international support to produce COVID-19 vaccines for Africa, an initiative for which I hereby also solicit support from “Independent Task Team on Equitable and Universal Access to Vaccines and Vaccination in Africa, since we have learnt, as part of lessons from the COVID-19 experience, that we cannot indefinitely continue to depend on developed economies for vaccines and other critical supplies. National strategy and capacity must be used to support us, for Africa’s entry to the vaccine production age. I also lay this as the 2nd most important request for the Independent Task Team on Equitable and Universal Access to Vaccines and Vaccination in Africa to consider.
“As we push for COVID-19 vaccines for the continent, we must also address the question of hesitancy, even among health workers who I hereby implore to use their positions to advocate for, and promote vaccine uptake, in view of the COVID-19 resurgence in the African region. As we fight the disease, we must translate lessons to policies to save lives and livelihoods.“ He added.
According to him, “We are not yet out of the woods. The coming together of African countries to push for vaccine availability is a welcome development. We do not expect anything less from CoDA as it is being led by a pan Africanist, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo.“
Dr Ehanire added that African governments shall consider ways of independently financing and delivering the vaccine in the short and medium-term, without compromise of other priority expenditure,
The Executive Director of the Coalition on Dialogue in Africa, Ms Souad Aden-Osman, disclosed that research and development of vaccines would be done in collaboration between CoDA and Igbenedion University.
PIAK
