ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The African Union (AU) has launched an ambitious drive to ensure that at least 60 per cent of all vaccines used on the continent are produced locally by 2040 — a major shift aimed at reducing dependence on global suppliers and strengthening Africa’s health security.
Currently, Africa manufactures just one per cent of its vaccine needs — a gap the AU says has left the continent vulnerable, especially during disease outbreaks.
The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare this fragility, triggering renewed urgency to scale up local pharmaceutical and vaccine production.
The new 2040 target was announced by Kevin Irandagiye, the Technical Communications Officer at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), during a health journalism workshop held in Ethiopia.
The meeting focused on continental strategies for epidemic response and self-reliance in health product manufacturing.
“Expanding local production is not just about vaccines — it’s about empowering Africa to take control of its health future,” Irandagiye said. “We’re prioritising diseases that impose the greatest burden on the continent.”
According to Africa CDC, local vaccine manufacturing will initially target five high-impact disease areas: HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, diabetes, and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
In 2022 alone, Africa recorded 600,000 new HIV infections — nearly half of the global total — and an estimated 230 million malaria cases, accounting for 94 per cent of worldwide infections.
The same year saw nearly 700,000 tuberculosis cases go undiagnosed, while NTDs such as schistosomiasis and river blindness continued to rise, affecting over a third of the population.
To meet the 2040 goal, several countries are already ramping up production capacity.
South Africa and Senegal are expected to manufacture eight vaccines between them by 2030.
These efforts are being coordinated under the Platform for Harmonised African Health Products Manufacturing (PHAHM), a flagship Africa CDC initiative.
Experts at the workshop noted that achieving vaccine self-sufficiency will require a mix of political will, financing, regulatory reform, and private sector collaboration.
A Legacy of Vaccination Success — and the Road Ahead
Despite its challenges, Africa has made significant gains in immunisation over the past five decades.
According to an April 2024 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination programmes have saved over 51 million lives on the continent, including 19.5 million from measles alone.
Meningitis deaths have declined by 39 per cent since 2000, and the region was officially declared free of wild poliovirus in 2022 — a milestone attributed to sustained, cross-border immunisation campaigns.
But officials caution that these hard-won gains are at risk without resilient, homegrown supply chains.
“Africa must build a vaccine ecosystem that is rooted in the continent,” said Irandagiye. “This isn’t just about health; it’s about sovereignty and the ability to respond to crises without waiting in line.”
The AU’s manufacturing push is expected to be a central theme at upcoming continental health summits, as countries align their national policies with the 2040 vision.
