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Zambia engaged Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance on its path to building a robust local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in the bid to facilitate the attainment of universal access to efficacious and safe vaccines at cost-effective rates.
ZAMBIA has engaged Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance on its path to build a robust local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in the bid to facilitate the attainment of universal access to efficacious and safe vaccines at cost-effective rates.
Zambian Health Minister Sylvia Masebo highlighted to Gavi, Executive Director the need for the country to be supported in its quest as there was demand for vaccines not only in-country but in the Southern African Region considering the many public health threats and vaccine-preventable diseases. Zambia was strategically land-linked with a growing economy creating a conducive environment for investments. This was shared on the sidelines of the ongoing 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva. Masebo added that the country was grappling with a number of vaccine-preventable diseases hence the need to set up a vaccine manufacturing industry that would lessen the burden and reduce the cost of vaccine acquisition.
The Zambian Minister’s quest is in tandem with their President Hakainde Hichilema’s call for a viable Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry when he officiated the inaugural Zambia-EU Pharmaceutical Forum earlier this year. In 2022, the Minister of Health called for the strengthening of the local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in order to help Zambia attain universal access to affordable, efficacious, and safe medicines during the Zambia Pharmaceutical Forum which gave birth to the Zambia-EU Forum. In response, GAVI Director Colette Selman informed the Zambian delegation that their request was in line with the Alliance’s priorities to bring new manufacturers and suppliers to the global space hence promising to offer Zambia the expertise required in the process. Adding more suppliers and manufacturers of vaccines would lower the costs of vaccine acquisition for emergency response.
Zambia, like many other countries, is faced with a burden of communicable diseases that could be vaccine prevented. For example, the ongoing Polio and Measles outbreaks in Southern Africa are an indicator of systems strengthening and a loud call for an increased supply of vaccines in the region.
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Created in 2000, Gavi is the global vaccine alliance, bringing together public and private sectors with the shared goal of creating equal access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries. By forming strategic alliances with business and industry leaders, Gavi leverages the private sector’s financial resources, operational expertise, thought leadership and innovation to advance vaccine coverage and equity goals.
