The vaccine production and marketing entity of the Pasteur Institute in Dakar will benefit from financing of more than 28 billion CFA francs, or 45 million dollars, under the terms of an agreement signed Friday in the Senegalese capital with the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC)
The agreement, which aims to promote the marketing and access to vaccines in Africa, was initialed by the parties concerned during a visit by the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to the Diamniadio vaccinopole, located in about thirty kilometers from Dakar.
$15 million loan from the DFC
DFC Deputy Director Nisha Biswal said she was “proud” to have supported the Pasteur Institute in Dakar with a $15 million loan and a previous grant of $3 million for technical assistance.
“These contributions facilitated the construction of the facility and the expansion of flexible vaccine manufacturing capabilities,” she said, emphasizing that “this facility will significantly enhance the Pasteur Institute’s ability to produce a variety of vaccines beyond their traditional focus on the yellow fever vaccine.”
The Director General of the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Amadou Sall, stressed, for his part, that the partnership established by his structure with the DFC, the ADB and the IFC illustrates the power of collaboration to transform health systems into Africa.
“With this funding, we move closer to vaccine sovereignty and ensure that no African is left behind in accessing life-saving solutions,” he said.
This funding agreement is part of a broader initiative to strengthen vaccine production capacity in Africa and reduce the continent’s dependence on imported vaccines. By increasing local manufacturing and marketing efforts, the institute and its partners are creating a resilient foundation for health security and economic prosperity, underlines a joint press release from the three signatory parties.
The agreement “underscores the leading role that Senegal plays in advancing our shared public health goals. This investment will strengthen vaccine production capacity, support local supply chains and establish a strong network for vaccine commercialization, in line with the African Union Vision 2040 to locally produce 60% of the continent’s vaccine needs », Adds the press release.
Par The editorial staffEditorial Committee – Casablanca
