Africa CDC chief tells Africans to 'respect partnerships' over decision to launch continent's vaccine manufacturing initiative in Paris

The Director General of Africa Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Jean Kaseya has asked the continent to be ‘respectful of partnerships’ after an upsetting decision to launch the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA)in Paris, France was made by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

The launch is scheduled for June 20, 2024 after last week, Gavi’s board approved a new five-year strategy (2026-2030), focusing on accelerating vaccine coverage, introducing new vaccines, strengthening health systems for equity, and supporting global health security and regional vaccine manufacturing.

The director general who attended the board meeting last week underscored the importance of ‘respectful partnership’ and collaboration, stating, “local manufacturing is the second independence of Africa because it impacts our health security and economic growth.

However, in the same week, Amref Health Africa Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) faulted Africa CDC and Gavi highlighting for the decision while highlighting that that it doesn’t make sense and beats logic for AVMA to be launched somewhere that is not on ‘African soil’.

“We have to realize that communities are where the power is based, that shift needs us to shift our mindsets to say that for us to actually make that shift, we have to give up our power and that is the difficulty of localization,” he told Nation in an interview.

“Gavi has made an extremely important decision to launch and to invest in AVMA, the fact that it is being launched in Paris tells you that France doesn’t want to give up power.”

Dr Githinji wonders why France, which is a great funder of Gavi, sees it fit to launch something that is meant for Africa in Paris.

He insists that the best way to serve communities is by handing over that power to the communities.

“Gavi is unable to do that because of barriers and those barriers have to do with money (who is going to control our money?).

Secondly, it is our belief of what knowledge matters because we think we have formed in our minds what structure of knowledge matters, “he told Nation.

“Unless it's published in The Lancet or BMJ which the communities do not know despite having knowledge, it doesn’t matter, “the GCEO highlighted, urging Gavi, Africa CDC and partners to respect systems that African communities have then find a way of using these systems.

“Africa is striving to enhance its vaccine manufacturing capabilities, and hosting the launch on African soil would be a powerful symbol of the continent's ownership and leadership in the initiative.

It would promote localization and underscore its commitment and proactive stance, resonating globally and sending a clear message that Africa is not merely a beneficiary but a leader in its health future," Dr Githinji told delegates during the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva last week.

He  however acknowledges the vital role Gavi plays on the continent despite faulting its board on the launch and reminds that from 2000 to 2022, Gavi invested US$11.9 billion to enhance access to life-saving vaccines in Africa, resulting in 11.1 million future deaths averted in Africa.

The GCEO is further of the view that the launch would be an excellent opportunity to further mobilize African nations to support the Africa Medicines Agency (AMA), which plays a pivotal role in creating an enabling environment for vaccine manufacturing by providing regulatory oversight, facilitating capacity building, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.

According to Amref, Africa’s vaccine manufacturing capability is rapidly advancing, marked by significant milestones and robust initiatives.

“South Africa's Biovac Institute partners with global pharmaceutical companies to produce and distribute vaccines, while the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal, is renowned for its yellow fever vaccine production. Egypt's Vacsera is also expanding its facilities to increase vaccine production capacity,” Dr Githinji pointed out noting that these local initiatives exemplify Africa's commitment to build a resilient, self-sufficient vaccine supply chain, ensuring better health outcomes and fostering economic growth across the continent.

He maintains that an African venue for the launch would provide an ideal platform to showcase these existing hubs and potential local manufacturing capacities, building confidence among international partners and investors in Africa’s ability to scale up vaccine production.

However, in an official response to queries fielded by Nation on Monday, Africa CDC said that they had consulted Gavi, their partners whose decision to launch AVMA in Paris they fully support and have decided to have another launch on ‘African Soil’ after the ‘Paris launch’.

“The AVMA launch is happening in Paris on 20th June with a subsequent one in Africa in the weeks following that launch. More details will be communicated,” a senior official at Africa CDC explained.

 “In recognition of AVMA’s significance to Africa, Dr  Kaseya announced that the popular launch of AVMA will occur on African soil in the coming weeks. This momentous occasion will bring together African leaders, Gavi, donors and partners, African Civil Society Organizations, and communities to reflect on and celebrate the journey toward Africa’s self-reliance in manufacturing vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

Together, we stand on the brink of a new era for Africa’s self-reliance in health security, driven by innovation, partnership, and a shared vision for a safer, healthier, and more prosperous Africa,” Africa CDC said in an official response.

But why is the Africa CDC not contesting the decision to launch AVMA on foreign soil?

France, a G7 member state, has been a donor to Gavi since 2004 and has contributed to the Vaccine Alliance through direct contributions and the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm).  

According to Gavi, in 2006, France made a first commitment to IFFIm of €373 million over the period 2007–2021.

An additional IFFIm pledge was made in 2007, of €867 million over 2008–2026, bringing France’s total IFFIm commitment to €1.23 billion.

France also made direct contributions to Gavi, from 2004 to 2010, it provided €15 million of direct funding.

In June 2011, France made an additional direct commitment of €100 million over the period 2011–2015. In January 2015 at Gavi’s second replenishment conference in Berlin, the Minister of State for Development and Francophonie announced an additional IFFIm contribution of €150 million and the launch of a €100 million pilot initiative in support of the Sahel region.  

During the Global Vaccine Summit in June 2020, France announced €350 million in new contributions: €250 million was allocated to Gavi’s core programmes for 2021–2025, and €100 million was allocated to the Gavi COVAX AMC (a part of the vaccine pillar of the ACT-A initiative launched by France in May 2020 to coordinate the response to COVID-19) to ensure the equitable distribution of a future vaccine against COVID-19 once such a vaccine became available.

In 2021 and in 2022, France pledged an additional €100 million per year, bringing France’s total contribution to COVAX to €300 million.

This is why Dr Kaseya has maintained that AFRICA CDC fully supports the decision made by Gavi’s board to launch AVMA in Paris.