Addis Ababa: The African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), under the leadership of Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General, has announced its commitment to covering 60 percent continent’s vaccine demand by 2040.

The Africa CDC is a public health agency of the African Union to support the public health initiatives of member states and strengthen the capacity of their health institutions to deal with disease threats.

It issued a presser today in Addis Ababa addressing critical public health concerns on the continent.

On the occasion, the Director General, Dr. Jean Kaseya highlighted the impact of communicable and non-communicable diseases on Africa’s healthcare system, including HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Cholera, Ebola, and others. These diseases exert a significant burden on the continent’s productive population.

In response, the Africa CDC is actively involved in promoting local vaccine production, enhancing testing capacities, and improving access to healthcare services to strengthen Africa’s he
alth system, he said, adding the ultimate objective is to ensure a more robust and self-sufficient health infrastructure for Africans.

With a focus on vaccine production, the Africa CDC has initiated a program to achieve a minimum of 60 percent vaccine self-sufficiency by 2040. While still in the preparatory phase, the program has already achieved notable successes, the director general said.

Dr. Kaseya also emphasized the importance of continued progress in vaccine production to pave the way for Africa’s self-reliance in pharmaceutical supplies.

He urged African countries to support local pharmaceutical companies, irrespective of social, economic, and political considerations.

He also stressed that achieving the goals set by the Africa CDC depends on providing necessary support to drug manufacturing companies across Africa. By doing so, the continent can ensure its own sustainable supply of essential drugs and vaccines, he said.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency