Tolu Disu
Director | Senior Manager | Healthcare Technology Leader | Program Pioneer | Board Member | Global | EMEA | Market Development | Strategic Management | Precision Medicine | Digital
The African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative (AVMI) was formed as a continental initiative to advocate for strengthening Africa’s capacity to develop and manufacture vaccines. AVMI is a catalytic and co‐ordinating consortium of companies, institutions, international organizations and individuals, with headquarters in South Africa, coming together to mobilize stakeholders toward this mission. Africa represents 14% of the world’s population and it is estimated that by 2050 25% of the global population will live in Africa. Currently less than 1% of the vaccines used in Africa are produced in Africa. The importance of developing vaccine manufacturing capacity in Africa was underlined by the Global Vaccine Action Plan resolution at the 2015 World Health Assembly where there was a call for Member States to seek opportunities for national and regional vaccine production and to investigate procurement options for improved access to and supply of vaccines. In addition to improving response to emergency situations, African vaccine manufacturing could improve security and sustainability of vaccine supply, respond to unmet health needs of a growing population and aid socioeconomic development in Africa. Therefore, working with African and global partners we advocate for the establishment of sustainable vaccine development and manufacturing capacity in Africa. Through studies like the Vaccine Manufacturing and Procurement in Africa (VMPA) Study we strive to get more and more people and organizations interested and involved in making Africa a key player in vaccine development and manufacture. Excellent progress is being made in the overall landscape of vaccine development and manufacture in the continent, and some milestone achievements have been recorded since the formation of the continental initiative. The AVMI currently seeks to expand the support of diverse stakeholders, funders and philanthropies genuinely interested in Africa’s sustainable development through health innovation to actualize the full scope of its mission.
