Rwanda Inaugurates mRNA Vaccine Factory.

Rwanda today inaugurated a German company factory BionTech to produce vaccines with messenger RNA technology (mRNA), the first of its kind in Africa and supported by the European Union (EU).

“This facility was designed to be among the most advanced in the world.”

The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, said at the factory's inauguration ceremony.

The 30.000 square meter facility is located in the Special Economic Zone of Kigali, the country's capital.

the inauguration

Kagame said that the struggle to find vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic motivated this initiative.

“The vaccine shortage hit Africa hard during the pandemic, we found ourselves knocking on every door looking for doses.”

“The situation was intolerable and the African Union (AU) came together to make a firm commitment that we would not allow ourselves to be in that position again”, highlighted the President.

Kagame recalled that, in the beginning, there was a consensus that mRNA vaccines could not even be administered in Africa.

“It was said that it was too complicated for our health systems (…)”.

“When we embarked on this journey to make these vaccines on our continent, we were told it would take at least 30 years.”

“But it is possible and, because it is possible, it is also necessary,” he said.

The event was also attended, among other dignitaries, by the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, who highlighted that the EU mobilized 1,2 billion euros to support this project.

Von der Leyen stated that within two years;

“The factory will produce up to 50 million doses of vaccines per year.”

“And we’re not just talking about the fight against coronavirus.”

“It’s about opening new paths in the fight against (…) tuberculosis, malaria and, potentially, even cancer,” he added.

BioNTech co-founder and CEO Uğur Şahin said his company aims to contribute to building a sustainable and resilient vaccine ecosystem on the African continent.

“The essence of our contribution here in Africa is clear: potential future vaccines must be produced in Africa, for Africa, with the same regional needs and global standards,” noted Şahin.

At the same time, Rwanda and the African Development Bank (AfDB) today signed an agreement for the country to host the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation (APTF), a pan-African agency that seeks to improve Africa's access to technologies for manufacturing medicines, vaccines and other pharmaceutical products.

Conclusion

The opening of the vaccine factory using messenger RNA technology in Rwanda marks a significant milestone in the global fight against the pandemic and other diseases. President Kagame's commitment and support from the European Union highlight the importance of local vaccine production to ensure security of supply.

The partnership between BioNTech and the African continent promises not only to combat COVID-19, but also to open paths to combat other diseases. The presence of the President of the European Commission highlights the global dimension of this effort. On the other hand, the signing of the agreement with the ADB solidifies Rwanda's commitment to boosting access to pharmaceutical technology across Africa.

Picture: © Getty Images