The COVID pandemic exposed stark vaccine inequities between high- and low-income nations and underscored Africa's dependence on outside countries for jabs. However, a new initiative in Senegal hopes to reduce that inequity Annika Hammerschlag reports from Dakar, Senegal.

Senegal administered its first doses to the public in March 2021, months after COVID-19 vaccines had become available in the West.

Supplies have repeatedly run dry in Senegal and other African countries that have relied on the international community for the vaccines.

Today, just 11 percent of Africans are vaccinated, compared to 64 percent in the U.S. and 72 percent in the U.K.

But scientists aim to change that. The Pasteur Institute of Dakar has partnered with BioNTech to build a production facility for its mRNA vaccines.

Amadou Sall, Institute Pasteur of Dakar Director:

“So, the need to make sure that we have control over our supply is something that is critically important in terms of health security. Having a different level of protection in different parts of the world won’t help control and end this pandemic.”

Africa currently imports 99 percent of all its vaccines. The new facility is due to open later this year and produce 300 million COVID vaccines annually. South Africa has announced a similar partnership with Moderna.

The Institute hopes to manufacture vaccines not just for the next pandemic, but also for endemic diseases such as measles and polio.

Antoine Marie Diatta, Vaccine Quality Control Manager:

“The standards are indeed getting higher and higher. It requires a level of human resources and skills that are extremely high as well. It’s not always within reach or easily found in Africa because it’s a new technology.”

But Dakar’s Institute Pasteur already produces yellow fever vaccines. Scientists there have been manufacturing them for decades.

Dr. Ousseynou Badiane, Director of Senegal’s Expanded Immunization Program:

“The Pasteur Institute has a lot of experience in producing vaccines. The yellow fever vaccine was developed and produced there. With their vaccines development expertise, there is nothing to prevent them from producing another that’s developed elsewhere.”

Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines has run rampant throughout Africa, Badiane added, so vaccines made in Africa by Africans could help increase trust and the number of people willing to get the jab.

Originally published at - https://www.voanews.com/a/senegal-facility-plans-to-start-covid-vaccine-production-/6435243.html

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