By Eyasu Zekarias
Ethiopia has successfully secured the bid to establish vaccine production within its borders. The foundation stone for this project, which has received a $70 million investment, was laid at Kilinto Industrial Park. The aim is to eliminate the need for importing vaccines, which currently incurs high foreign currency expenses. Additionally, the government of Ethiopia is actively working to enhance domestic vaccine production capacity, collaborating with various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health.
On August 20, 2023, the regulations for the establishment of Shieldvax Enterprise and Ethio Bio Pharma were approved by ministers. Shieldvax Enterprise is an umbrella enterprise that encompasses the National Veterinary Institute (NVI), a long-standing institute involved in veterinary vaccine manufacturing, and the newly established ShieldVax Enterprise. NVI has a track record of producing vital medical products, including vaccines, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and tests, for both human and animal use, catering to the domestic and international markets.
This establishment is well-timed and aligns with the African Union’s ambitious plan to produce 60% of Africa’s required human vaccines on the continent by 2040. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of robust healthcare systems and domestic medicine production. Consequently, the government has officially established Shieldvax Enterprise as a government development company to address these concerns.
The African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), a collaboration between the Vaccine Alliance, developing countries, donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and GAVI’s board, has approved the establishment of a financial instrument known as AVMA. This instrument will provide up to $1 billion to support sustainable vaccine production in Africa. The AVMA aims to incentivize and support at least four African vaccine manufacturers over the next decade to secure GAVI/UNICEF tenders, producing over 800 million vaccine doses on a sustainable and large-scale basis.
On January 29, 203, Ethiopia announced the launch of the Shieldvax Enterprise project, which will receive an investment of over $70 million. The project aims to produce various types of vaccines at the Kilinto Industrial Park. The launch event was attended by senior government officials, including the Minister of Health, representatives from the World Bank, various ambassadors, and leaders from the Customs Commission and federal and state levels.
Lia Tadese, the Minister of Health, announced that Shieldvax Enterprise has officially been established as a government development company by the Council of Ministers. The project is scheduled to complete vaccine filling and packaging by the end of 2026 and achieve full vaccine component production by 2027.
In 2021, the African Union established the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) under the Africa CDC, with the goal of enabling the African vaccine manufacturing industry to develop, produce, and supply over 60% of the continent’s vaccine needs by 2040. This is a significant increase from the current level of less than 1%, with interim goals set at 10% by 2025 and 30% by 2030.
Jean Kaseya, the Director General of Africa CDC, views AVMA as a testament to Africa’s collaborative efforts in securing support and funding ($1 billion) for African vaccine manufacturers. This achievement demonstrates the benefits of African unity and cooperation with international partners.
Ethiopia, along with Africa CDC and other partners, remains committed to working together to achieve the goal of manufacturing 60% of Africa’s vaccine needs by 2040. This project not only aids in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic but also strengthens the country’s ability to respond to future health emergencies. The construction of the vaccine production factory is expected to be completed by 2027, with production commencing thereafter.
