Results from a joint assessment by Africa CDC, CHAI, and PATH

Africa is largely reliant on other regions of the world for lifesaving vaccines. Only 1 percent of the vaccines administered in Africa are produced locally; the remaining 99 percent are imported.1 Such an imbalance in production can contribute to unequal access to life-saving vaccines and enormous health disparities between regions.

The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted issues of inequity, with Africa last in line to receive COVID-19 vaccines and trailing far behind other parts of the world in terms of vaccination rates. It also led to a surge in local political support for vaccine production.

As a result, African vaccine manufacturing is set to expand dramatically. But, with so many new projects on the horizon, a clear picture of gaps and needs is necessary to ensure all stakeholders are aligned and investments lead to impact.

Together, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and PATH have mapped the current and planned vaccine manufacturing capacity in Africa to generate insights into what is needed to develop a robust and sustainable vaccine manufacturing ecosystem. This information can help stakeholders, governments, and funders better coordinate and prioritize development efforts, interventions, and investments.