Vaccine-production plant in Africa to be launched soon as Senegal, EU and US ink deal

Amid shortage in COVID-19-vaccines, Senegal, the EU, the US have teamed up to finance vaccine production in the West African state. All the big counties have inked an accord before the third wave of COVID-19. Africa has been witnessing a major shortage of jabs and a continuous spike in cases.

According to a joint statement issued by the Senegalese government and the European Union, this new financial deal aims to start a mass vaccine production at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar. Africa, a continent of 54 countries and 1.2 billion people, currently produces only 1% of the vaccines it administers. The remaining 99% are imported the statement explained that this deal will lower the dependence on imports.

Senegal's Economy Minister Amadou Hott took to the microblogging platform and congratulated all the partners. He wrote "I am delighted to have proceeded today with the partners and institutions of Senegal at the launch of the #COVID vaccine production project by the Dakar Pasteur Institute."

Economy Minister Hott was quoted in a statement as saying, "The new production site will lay the foundation for pharmaceutical and medical sovereignty and it will increase access to affordable vaccines in Africa, and enable vaccine production to rapidly respond to the new pandemic.''

At a press conference held in Dakar on Friday, European Commissioner Thierry Breton said the project should cost around 200 million euros ($237 million) in total. The plant will be situated in the new city of Diamniadio, about 30 kilometers from Dakar, and employ around 300 people, he added.

Partner for vaccine production in Africa

Notably, team Europe has been at the forefront of the response to COVID-19 in Africa as one of the leading donors to the COVAX Facility. The first phase of the new vaccine production plant is expected to be financed by the Government of Senegal and international partners, including the European Commission, read the statement.

Meanwhile, leading pharmaceutical and technical partners are already working with the Institut Pasteur de Dakar to enable existing vaccine production, specialist packing, and distribution technology to be used at the new plant. Meanwhile, the European Commission is currently funding two projects to support the Institut Pasteur de Dakar.