Yesterday, the Gavi board has approved the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA). This newly approved Advanced Market Commitment (AMC) is aimed at fostering the sustainable growth of vaccine manufacturing in Africa. With a commitment of up to US $1 billion over the next decade, AVMA seeks to enhance Africa’s manufacturing capabilities, contributing to global vaccine market health and aiding in outbreak and pandemic prevention, preparedness, response, and resilience.
The initiative arises in response to the inequities in vaccine access highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, where regions with established vaccine manufacturing had earlier access to vaccines compared to those without, like Africa. This expansion is expected to simultaneously boost the continent’s high-value biotechnology sector and improve pandemic response capabilities. Currently, Africa, home to about 20% of the world’s population, only contributes 0.2% to global vaccine supply despite an annual vaccine demand exceeding US $1 billion.
