BioNTech, a German pharmaceutical company, announced on Monday that it had completed a key step in establishing its first vaccine production hub in Africa. The aim is to increase access to mRNA vaccines on the continent.
“Africa will have one of the most advanced manufacturing facilities in the world,” Ugur Sahin, BioNTech co-founder and chief executive officer, said.
“The real success factor in today’s milestone is trust and cooperation.” President Kagame pic.twitter.com/rFvNK2vtSR
— Presidency | Rwanda (@UrugwiroVillage) December 19, 2023
The company has set up a production unit in Kigali, Rwanda, using recycled shipping containers. The unit covers 35,000 square meters (8.6 acres) of land.
BioNTech, which partnered with Pfizer to develop and market a COVID-19 vaccine, said it planned to finish the factory by 2024 and start operations in 2025.
The $150 million project is a collaborative effort to reduce Africa’s reliance on imported vaccines, which was exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame said at a ceremony that mRNA vaccines were not too complicated for Africa’s health systems, contrary to what some had said.
“You may remember that the consensus at first was that mRNA vaccines could not even be administered in Africa. It was said to be too complicated for our health systems, and then when we embarked on this journey to manufacture these vaccines on our continent, we were told that it would take a minimum of 30 years.”
“That was all wrong. It is possible. And because it is possible, it is also necessary.”
“But we could not have reached this point without a wider set of partnerships. The world mobilized quickly and effectively to support the African initiatives.”
I travelled to Kigali, Rwanda to usher in a revolution in access to affordable prescription drugs for the people of the Global South, and the world.
The launch of BioNTech Africa will ensure there is true equality when it comes to providing life saving medication and treatments pic.twitter.com/kBZpotYMym
— Mia Amor Mottley (@miaamormottley) December 18, 2023
BioNTech said it would hire and train about 100 local staff to make various vaccines using the latest mRNA technology.
Rwanda will distribute the vaccines to the African Union, which has 55 members.
Another mRNA vaccine hub was launched in Cape Town, South Africa, in April. It is supported by the World Health Organization and is run by local companies and institutions.
Kenya Among Six African Countries to Receive mRNA Vaccine Technology
