Rwanda also bids for regional vaccination production hub

• Rwanda has joined the league of other bidders like Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa for hosting the regional vaccine manufacturing hub.
•  The vaccine hub is proposed to be set up with the partnership of the European Union and other partners.

Rwanda has joined the league of other bidders like Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa for hosting the regional vaccine manufacturing hub. The vaccine hub is proposed to be set up with the partnership of the European Union and other partners. This was revealed by Dr Ngozi Ikonjo Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

The case for the production hub on the continent was mooted by African leaders to ease the equitable access of vaccines to all, particularly the most disadvantaged in Africa. Dr Iweala remarked that excessive centralization of vaccine production capacity is incompatible with equitable access in a crisis situation. Regional production hubs,  supported by open supply chains, is expected to support the preparedness for a future health crisis.

Leaders like President Paul Kagame has made the case for the production of vaccines in Africa, to bail out the continent from the current health crisis which has deepened social-economic effects on the population of Africa. He also  advocated equitable vaccine delivery, indicating that the whole world won’t be safe unless all parts of the world are equitably vaccinated.