The Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) in Senegal and the Mastercard Foundation have announced a multiyear, $45 million partnership to expand African vaccine workforce development and achieve vaccine manufacturing autonomy on the continent.

The Manufacturing in Africa for Disease Immunization and Building Autonomy (MADIBA) project aligns with Senegal’s national plan to manufacture half of the country’s pharmaceutical products by 2035 and the African Union’s target to fulfill 60 percent of the continent’s vaccine needs by 2040—a goal the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates will require the training and employment of as many as 14,000 highly skilled research and manufacturing workers.

IPD will develop a specialized curriculum and training program in collaboration with global health experts, universities, and manufacturers to identify specific skills required for highly specialized functions, including vaccine production, quality assurance, supply chain management, procurement, and clinical trials. As IPD trains new cohorts across Africa—with a special effort to enroll at least 40 percent women—the program is expected to create a multiplier effect, accelerating vaccine manufacturing capabilities on the continent.

“This partnership…will enhance human capital development for biomanufacturing in Africa,” said IPD chief executive Amadou Sall. “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.”

“This partnership builds on the game-changing intent of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative…to keep everyone safe by rolling out COVID-19 vaccinations while ensuring Africa’s long-term health security by building [a] vaccine manufacturing expertise and workforce on the continent,” said Mastercard Foundation president Reeta Roy.  “In the process, our collaboration will also benefit the livelihoods of young people in Africa.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/luza studios)