In six countries in Africa, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) iin the foreseeable future patent-free mRNA vaccine can be produced. The WHO announced on Friday at the EU-Africa summit the locations of South Africa, where the first African mRNA vaccine is being developed, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia. The countries should now receive the necessary technology and be supported in the training of specialists.
The corona pandemic has shown how dangerous it is to be dependent on a few vaccine manufacturers, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. For months he has sharply criticized the fact that rich countries secured a large part of the corona vaccine production with preliminary contracts and that many countries went practically empty-handed for months. To date, more than 80 percent of Africans have not even received their first dose of vaccine, he said.
WHO chose South Africa as mRNA center in 2021, to develop the first African corona vaccine. From there, the technology will be delivered license-free to low- and middle-income countries. The vaccine should be ready in 2023. According to the WHO, it does not infringe any patents. In addition to corona vaccines, other medicines, such as insulin, cancer medicines or those against malaria, tuberculosis or HIV, should also be able to be produced in the countries based on mRNA technology.
One Africa Initiative also has the Mainz company Biontech seized. It wants to deliver the first mobile containers for vaccine production in the second half of the year. It is planned with Rwanda, Senegal and possibly South Africa. In contrast to the WHO initiative, Biontech initially wants to operate the container systems itself with its own staff.