Africa ‘tech hub’ aims to fill COVID-19 vaccine gap

Speed read New mRNA tech transfer hub to be established in South Africa Facility will provide training and licences for vaccine development Less than one per cent in Africa have been vaccinated against COVID-19 [NAIROBI] Africa could start using locally manufactured COVID-19 vaccines next year after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced plans for the first mRNA technology transfer hub in South Africa. South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa told the press conference: “This landmark initiative is a major advance in the international effort to build vaccine development and manufacturing capacity that will put Africa on a path to self-determination.” WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said the UN agency and its partners will guide countries on how to manufacture vaccines, quality control, and necessary licenses to “facilitate a broad and rapid technology transfer to multiple recipients”.

‘Catastrophic moral failure’ risk over COVID-19 shots – WHO

Speed read One of the poorest countries has administered only 25 doses of the vaccine Equitable vaccine rollout critical amid new virus variants Vaccine makers are ‘prioritising profits’ over fair access As few as 25 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in one of the world’s poorest countries, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said, warning of a “catastrophic moral failure”. Since January 1, the world has been recording an average of almost 12,500 daily deaths and 682,000 recorded cases, according to a report published Tuesday by the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. According to ourworldindata.org, an initiative by the University of Oxford and partners which is collating data on the pandemic, the United Arab Emirates is currently delivering the highest number of vaccines per 100 people at 1.16 doses.

‘Time to invest in genomics’ in poorer countries – WHO

Speed read Genomics has been crucial in COVID-19 response, driving research But many poor countries lack access to the technology First WHO Science Council report makes recommendations to address barriers The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an urgent call to accelerate access to genomics, especially in resource-poor countries, in a report that examines technology gaps and opportunities. Genomics is the branch of science that uses methods from biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology to understand and use biological information in DNA and RNA to benefit medicine and public health — but the technology can also be used in agricultural research. While genomics technology is driving some of the most ground-breaking research in medical science, including COVID-19 vaccine research and development, its full potential is yet to be realised globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to the WHO Science Council’s inaugural report.

Child vaccination rates fall to decade low amid pandemic

“Multiple disease outbreaks would be catastrophic for communities and health systems already battling COVID-19, making it more urgent than ever to invest in childhood vaccination and ensure every child is reached,” he said in a statement released on July 15. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of developing data systems that are timely and high quality in providing equitable access to immunisation for all, and allow real-time tracking of immunisation efforts, according to Jonathan Mosser, an assistant professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, who was an author on The Lancet report. See PDF] Winluck Shayo, the chief executive officer of AfyaTrack, a health tech organization that tracks maternal and child health among Swahili-speaking communities in Africa, says the COVID-19 pandemic should serve as a lesson for governments across the world on how to sustain essential health services – such as childhood immunization – during the pandemic.