3 questions to Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

Interview with Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

Focus 2030 : The Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation on 20 June 2024 is being held in Paris, co-organised by Gavi, France and the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which you head. Can you tell us about your organization’s mission and your expectations of the Forum ?

Dr. Jean Kaseya : Africa CDC is a continental and autonomous health agency of the African Union established to support Member States’ public health initiatives and strengthen the capacity of their public health institutions to detect, prevent, control, and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats. Its sole mission is Safeguarding Africa’s Health.

The 37th AU Assembly has entrusted Africa CDC with the leadership role in manufacturing vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other health products. It has also tasked us with establishing and managing the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM) to bolster African manufacturing and ensure equitable access to medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics. In 2022, Africa CDC developed the Framework for Action (FFA), a 20-year strategy to support the manufacturing of vaccines on the continent.

The African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator will strongly contribute to the African Union’s Platform for Harmonized African Health Products Manufacturing (PHAHM) ambition to manufacture at least 60% of the total vaccine doses required on the continent by 2040. It will also support a global effort to strengthen African health sovereignty at all times, including for pandemic preparedness and response. The AVMA builds upon Gavi’s groundwork in equity and innovation in immunization.

The Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation will see a congregation of Heads of State from both Africa and outside of Africa, Vaccine Manufacturers from Africa and Global, International Organizations, UN Agencies, Development Finance Institutions, Philanthropies, CSOs with a single mission of charting collective action to safeguard the well-being of the future generations.

We expect the Forum to be a venue to renew the commitment of the global community to invest in and support vaccine manufacturing in Africa to ensure the health security of the 1.4 billion African population.

The sustainability of African vaccine manufacturing is tied up with continued investment and strong political support. The forum is expected to address the two issues. In addition, the forum will be a vehicle for Gavi Investment Opportunity, where funding for the overall Gavi mission and operation will be raised.

Focus 2030 : The recent COVID-19 pandemic was a striking illustration of the impact that a vaccine production shortfall can have on a geographical area amid a global health crisis. The African continent accounts for 0.2% of global vaccine production, with 13 pharmaceutical companies, even though it is home to 20% of the world’s population. The Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation will provide an opportunity to launch the Accelerator for Vaccine Production in Africa (AVMA) to address these inequalities. To what extent could this initiative represent a paradigm shift in global health and development for the continent ?

Dr. Jean Kaseya : The COVID-19 pandemic showed us the huge shortfalls in African vaccine manufacturing. Africa was left behind the world in accessing life-saving vaccines during the pandemic, even if the required finance was available. This was why the African Union Heads of States and Governments established a bold ambition under Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) to develop a framework for Africa to manufacture 60 percent of its vaccine needs locally by 2040.

In 2022, the Africa CDC developed the Framework for Action (FFA) to support vaccine manufacturing in Africa. 23 manufacturing projects were identified in the continent, with 9 already operating commercial-scale vaccine facilities and 3 facilities set to produce 8 vaccines to supply the continent between 2025 and 2030.

Sustainable African manufacturing will ensure health security and promote economic development and job creation. This is why we say local manufacturing is Africa’s second independence.

Africa CDC is working to ensure well-coordinated support for vaccine manufacturers to facilitate timely access to African-made vaccines. In the area of diagnostics, Africa imports over 80% of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), and partners such as the Global Fund, PEPFAR, and others have committed to supporting African manufacturers. Efforts to support the procurement of HIV and malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) are underway. Africa CDC and other partners are also working to assist African manufacturers of anti-malarial medicine in meeting regulatory approval and standards to ensure sufficient supply to the continent and international purchase of high-quality products made in Africa.

The AVMA, developed by GAVI in partnership with the Africa CDC and other stakeholders, directly enhances the above-explained efforts. Practical support and strategic investments will speed up the establishment of a sustainable vaccine manufacturing ecosystem on the continent.

As an innovative financing mechanism supporting African manufacturers in producing quality products and supplying the African and global markets, AVMA will bring a paradigm shift. The intentional decision to preferentially promote vaccine Drug Substance production over the last stage of Fill and Finish will also ensure sustainability. Because of the AVMA financing, the vaccine manufactured in Africa will be price competitive to the ones manufactured by the more established manufacturers globally. Thus, the African population will have a predictable supply of vaccines during the pandemic and routine vaccines. This eventually will greatly contribute to improving the health of the African population.

GAVI and AVMA serve as great examples of the importance and influence of alliances. Vaccine and medical manufacturing involve various sectors, disciplines, and countries.

Therefore, we applaud the strong support from the Government of France and the commitment of the GAVI Alliance. Alliances are crucial for success, such as the G20 Alliance for Regional Manufacturing and Innovation proposed by the current G20 Chair, Brazil, which we fully support as Africa.

Focus 2030 : On June 20th, Gavi will detail its investment opportunity to fund vaccine access and strengthen health systems over the next five years. In your opinion, which vaccines and which areas should receive priority support to meet the needs of the people of the African continent ?

Dr. Jean Kaseya : In Africa, we recognize the critical importance of Gavi’s investment in vaccines and health systems. We recommend prioritizing several key vaccines and strategic areas to meet the continent’s needs.

Malaria vaccines should be a top priority, especially in high-burden regions, to save lives and reduce the disease’s prevalence. HPV vaccines are crucial for preventing cervical cancer, a significant health issue for women across Africa. Measles and rubella vaccines are needed to prevent outbreaks and protect children’s health. Additionally, pneumococcal conjugate and rotavirus vaccines should be prioritized to combat pneumonia and severe diarrhea, which are leading causes of child mortality.

It’s important to remember that manufacturing vaccines is just the first step. We also need to make sure that the vaccines reach every child. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions to routine immunization, which is a key part of primary health care.

That’s why GAVI’s focus on reaching children who have not received any doses of vaccines and on rolling out new vaccines like the malaria vaccine is crucial and well-timed. Ultimately, a vaccine can only be effective if it is actually delivered to those who need it.

Strengthening health systems is vital in terms of broader strategic areas of support to safeguarding Africa’s Health. Investments should focus on building robust healthcare infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved regions, to ensure vaccines are delivered efficiently. Improving vaccine equity and targeting remote areas and conflict zones are crucial to ensure no one is left behind. Enhancing surveillance and data systems is necessary to modernize health data management, improve vaccination tracking, and respond swiftly to outbreaks. Community engagement and education are also important, with comprehensive campaigns needed to increase vaccine acceptance and counter misinformation. Lastly, supporting local research and development will foster self-reliance and sustainability, enhancing Africa’s capacity to produce vaccines locally.

Concentrating on these vaccines and strategic areas will ensure that Gavi’s investment significantly reduces disease burden, improves public health, and builds resilient health systems across Africa.

NB : The opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect the ideas of Focus 2030.