The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has committed to establishing Regional Capability and Capacity Networks (RCCNs) to enhance skills development, workforce training, and research and development (R&D). The aim of this initiative is to achieve the Africa CDC’s goal of producing a substantial percentage of vaccines locally. This effort has gained momentum through crucial decisions made by the African Union Heads of State and Government, including the expansion of the mandate of the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) to include the production of medicines, diagnostics, and other health products, as well as the establishment of a Pooled Procurement Mechanism (PPM) for medical products sourced from African manufacturers.

The continent has reached milestones, including the establishment of the African Vaccine Accelerator and commitments exceeding $3.5 billion from global donors and development finance institutions. Afreximbank has also pledged $2 billion to enhance Africa’s health product manufacturing sector.

A recent survey by the African CDC revealed that Africa’s manufacturing landscape includes 574 manufacturers across the continent, of which 25 are dedicated to vaccine production—10 of whom have installed capacity. Between 2025 and 2030, three African vaccine manufacturers are expected to produce and secure World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification for eight vaccines to supply the continental market and beyond.

The Director-General of the Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya, praised the initiative, calling it a game changer for workforce development in bio-manufacturing. He also identified institutions in Africa that will oversee the process. These institutions include:

• North Africa: Institut Pasteur du Maroc (IPM) in Morocco and The Unified Procurement Authority (UPA) in Egypt
• East Africa: Africa Biomanufacturing Institute (ABI) in Rwanda
• West Africa: Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal
• Southern Africa: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa

The initiative was launched in early 2024 with an open call for proposals, inviting applications from institutions across the African Union regions. A panel of independent experts conducted a review of the applications, interviewed shortlisted candidates, and selected institutions based on their technical expertise, training capacity, and potential for regional impact.

The RCCNs will play a critical role in addressing one of Africa’s biggest bottlenecks: the shortage of skilled professionals in biomanufacturing, research and development (R&D), and regulatory affairs. These networks will connect training institutions, manufacturers, R&D organisations, and national regulatory authorities to establish structured, sustainable training programs and initiatives that advance Africa’s health products manufacturing sector.

One major hurdle has been the lack of hands-on learning opportunities, such as internships and structured workplace learning. This makes it difficult to build a steady pipeline of skilled professionals to sustain Africa’s vaccine industry. Expanding training in biomanufacturing, R&D, and regulatory affairs—aligned with the Africa CDC’s Vaccine R&D and Vaccine Manufacturing Competency Frameworks—will be central to the RCCNs’ efforts.

Beyond technical expertise, the RCCNs will also promote collaboration among research institutions and industry players, ensuring that Africa’s vaccine ecosystem is not only well-trained but also innovative and globally competitive. With the RCCNs now established, Africa CDC will concentrate on operationalising the networks, enhancing institutional capacity, and expanding training programmes. This signifies a significant advance towards creating a self-sufficient, highly skilled workforce capable of propelling Africa’s vaccine and health products manufacturing aspirations.

(Source: Africa CDC)