Mastercard Foundation and Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) have announced a $45 million partnership named MADIBA (Manufacturing in Africa for Disease Immunization and Building Autonomy) towards achieving vaccine manufacturing autonomy in Africa.
The multi-year initiative, which is designed to cultivate and construct an exceptional workforce dedicated to vaccine manufacturing, “will establish a Centre of Training Excellence to equip talented young people, particularly young women, with specialized skills in vaccine research, manufacturing, production, and distribution.”
Less than 1 percent of all vaccines used on the continent are locally produced—a statistic that reveals the region’s intense vulnerability and overdependence on foreign supplies.
Located in Senegal, MADIBA aligns with the “Emerging Senegal Plan” to produce 50% of the country’s pharmaceutical products by 2035, as well as the African Union’s ambitious goal of meeting 60% of the continent’s vaccine demand by 2040. Serving as a model for forthcoming vaccine manufacturing facilities throughout Africa, MADIBA represents a vital initial stride towards achieving vaccine self-reliance in the continent.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) introduced the Regional Capability and Capacity Centre Network (RCCCN) in February 2023. This network aims to enhance talent development in manufacturing and research, with IPD being chosen as the first centre within this initiative.
According to Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, “Between 9,000 and 14,000 full-time employees will be needed across vaccine manufacturing and research roles across Africa by 2040. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the African Union together have called for a New Public Health Order which will safeguard the health and economic security of the continent as it strives to meet the aspirations of the Agenda 2063. A key pillar of this vision seeks to expand the local manufacture of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Presently, less than one percent of vaccines administered on the continent are manufactured locally. This places a great financial burden on the health systems of African countries and reduces their ability to respond to pandemics and other health crises.”
IPD, through the MADIBA project, will design a specialized training curriculum for Africa. The primary objective is to educate cohorts of talented young Africans from various regions of the continent, with a particular emphasis on enrolling 40 percent of female participants. This curriculum will incorporate essential stakeholders such as leading experts, universities, and manufacturers to address the development of critical skills necessary for specialized roles in vaccine production, quality assurance, supply chain management, procurement, and clinical trials. The graduates of the MADIBA training program will play a vital role in driving the success of other manufacturing facilities, resulting in a multiplier effect and a transformative impact on the continent’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities.
“This partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and IPD will enhance human capital development for biomanufacturing in Africa. The project is a crucial pillar for vaccine equity and autonomy and a significant driver for high-skilled job creation among young and female Africans. We aim to train a workforce for MADIBA and other African vaccine manufacturers, develop partnerships with African universities and promote science education among young students. We extend our gratitude to the Mastercard Foundation for investing in our mission to accelerate equitable and sustainable access to health in Africa along with other financial and technical partners of the MADIBA project,’’ said Amadou Sall, the CEO of IPD.
“This partnership builds on the game-changing intent of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative. That is, to keep everyone safe by rolling out COVID-19 vaccinations while ensuring Africa’s long-term health security by building vaccine manufacturing expertise and workforce on the continent. In the process, our collaboration will also benefit the livelihoods of young people in Africa.” said Reeta Roy, President, and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.
The partnership between the IPD and the Mastercard Foundation is expected to fast-track the development of a formally trained workforce in Africa to support vaccine manufacturing projects on the continent.
