Advancing local manufacturing capacities for vaccines within Africa – Opportunities, priorities and challenges

Vaccine, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 50, С. 126829 - 126829

Опубликована: Фев. 5, 2025

Our viewpoint focuses on the paradox that Africa represents 25 % of total global vaccine usage, yet 99 these vaccines are manufactured overseas. In view iniquitous supply and distribution COVID-19 to during pandemic, we emphasize need for scaling up local manufacturing capacities across Africa. We review current within Africa, highlight priority needs, describe opportunities challenges advancing Of 11 manufacturers in ten have operational formulation/fill/finish capacities. However, produce active components locally very limited leveraging technology platforms such as live-attenuated virus, inactivated mRNA remain scanty. South Senegal only countries with end-to-end Based market demand, complexity, target population, disease burden vaccination regimen, top 5 identified were measles-rubella, yellow fever, cholera, rotavirus, meningococcal vaccines. Enablers Africa's initiatives include: a preferential procurement African-made sustainable reliable volumes through GAVI UNICEF; deal preparation investments avoiding overproduction; transfers; regulatory systems strengthening; R&D infrastructure. Thus, African all stakeholders should focus taking forward portfolio activities required continental manufacturing, including strengthening capacities, training workforce development, rather than efforts benefit particular manufacturer or country. Optimism comes from announcement December 2023 by establishment Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, financing mechanism USD 1 billion aimed at creating industry many be overcome having secure funding sustaining what is developed.

Язык: Английский

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The Use of Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies (bNAbs) in HIV-1 Treatment and Prevention

Viruses, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 16(6), С. 911 - 911

Опубликована: Июнь 4, 2024

Background: Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) effectively halts disease progression in HIV infection, the complete eradication of virus remains elusive. Additionally, challenges such as long-term ART toxicity, drug resistance, and demanding regimen daily lifelong adherence required by highlight imperative need for alternative therapeutic preventative approaches. In recent years, broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) have emerged promising candidates, offering potential therapeutic, preventative, possibly curative interventions against infection. Objective: This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview current state knowledge regarding passive immunization bNAbs HIV-1-infected individuals. Main findings: Recent findings from clinical trials highlighted treatment, prevention, quest an HIV-1 cure. While monotherapy with single bNAb is insufficient maintaining viral suppression preventing escape, ultimately leading rebound, combination potent, non-overlapping epitope-targeting demonstrated prolonged delayed time rebound restricting emergence escape mutations, albeit largely individuals bNAb-sensitive strains. has provided “proof concept” antibody-mediated prevention acquisition, although not been obtained. Therefore, further research on use treatment imperative.

Язык: Английский

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The Use of Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies (bNAbs) in HIV-1 Treatment and Prevention

Опубликована: Май 7, 2024

Background: Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) effectively halt disease progression in HIV infections, complete eradiation of the virus remains elusive. Additionally, challenges such as long-term ART toxicity, drug resistance, and demanding regimen daily lifelong ad-herence required by highlight imperative need for alternative therapeutic preventa-tive approaches. In recent years, broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) have emerged promising candidates, offering potential therapeutic, preventative possibly curative in-terventions against infection. Objective: This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview current state knowledge regarding passive immunization bNAbs HIV-1 infected individuals. Main findings: Recent findings from clinical trials highlighted treatment, prevention, quest an cure. While monotherapy with single bNAb is insufficient maintaining viral suppression preventing escape, ultimately leading rebound, combination potent, non-overlapping epitope-targeting demonstrated prolonged delayed time rebound effec-tively restricting emergence escape mutations, albeit largely individuals bNAb-sensitive strains. provided ‘proof-of-concept’ antibody-mediated prevention acquisition, although com-plete was not obtained. Therefore, further research on use treatment imperative.

Язык: Английский

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Artificial intelligence in global health: An unfair future for health in Sub-saharan Africa?

Health Affairs Scholar, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 3(2)

Опубликована: Фев. 1, 2025

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) holds transformative potential for global health, particularly in underdeveloped regions like Africa. However, the integration of AI into healthcare systems raises significant concerns regarding equity and fairness. This debate paper explores challenges risks associated with implementing Africa, focusing on lack infrastructure, data quality issues, inadequate governance frameworks. It also geopolitical economic dynamics that exacerbate these disparities, including impact competition weakened international institutions. While highlighting risks, acknowledges benefits AI, improved access, standardization care, enhanced health communication. To ensure equitable outcomes, it advocates targeted policy measures, infrastructure investment, capacity building, regulatory frameworks, collaboration. comprehensive approach is essential to mitigate harness promote social justice health.

Язык: Английский

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Capitalism and Health Inequities in the Global South: The Impact of Neoliberal Policies on Healthcare Access and Equity

IntechOpen eBooks, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Март 3, 2025

This essay examines the impacts of capitalism on health inequities across Global South, particularly India, South Africa, and Brazil, where historical systemic inequalities are deepened by neoliberal economic policies. Capitalism, driven profit maximization privatization, has exacerbated disparities in healthcare access, leaving marginalized populations low- middle-income countries vulnerable. In many nations, including dual systems have emerged, private serves wealthy, underfunded public fail to meet needs majority. Case studies reveal disproportionate burden infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, TB, COVID-19 these communities, demonstrating how capitalist interests—such those pharmaceutical companies—often conflict with goals. It further looks at rise disease non-communicable diabetes, stroke, cancer, becoming epidemics itself. Most recently, global race for vaccines highlighted inequitable distribution, wealthy nations monopolized resources, delayed access. analysis underscores urgent need policies centered equity, inclusivity, fair rather than profit.

Язык: Английский

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Creating different global health futures: mapping the health research ecosystem and taking decolonial action

BMC Health Services Research, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 25(1)

Опубликована: Апрель 17, 2025

Abstract This paper promotes reflexive consideration of health research practices using a decolonisation lens. We propose both incremental and more radical action in five domains: knowledge production, funding programmes, dissemination, uptake, education training. suggest four steps towards transformation share tool to operationalise these steps.

Язык: Английский

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The Role of Medical Mistrust in Vaccination Decisions in Rural, Indigenous Namibian Communities

Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Апрель 21, 2025

Язык: Английский

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The PHA4GE Microbial Data-Sharing Accord: establishing baseline consensus microbial data-sharing norms to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration

BMJ Global Health, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 9(10), С. e016474 - e016474

Опубликована: Окт. 1, 2024

Microbial data sharing underlies evidence-based microbial research, as well pathogen surveillance and analysis essential to public health. While the need for was highlighted during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, some concerns regarding secondary use have also surfaced. Although general guidelines are available sharing, we note absence of a set established, universal, unambiguous accessible principles guide data. Here, propose Public Health Alliance Genomic Epidemiology (PHA4GE) Data-Sharing Accord consolidate consensus norms accepted practices The provides seven simple, baseline address key that may arise researchers providing datasets responsible by users. By clear rules data, can increase confidence in providers protect against mis-use analyses.

Язык: Английский

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The PHA4GE Microbial Data Sharing Accord: Establishing baseline consensus microbial data- sharing norms to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration

Опубликована: Июнь 6, 2024

Microbial data sharing underlies evidence-based microbial research, as well pathogen surveillance and analysis essential to public health. Whilst the need for was highlighted during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, some concerns regarding secondary use have also surfaced. Although general guidelines are available sharing, we note absence of a set established, universal, unambiguous accessible principles guide data. Here, propose Public Health Alliance Genomic Epidemiology (PHA4GE) Data-Sharing Accord consolidate consensus norms accepted practices The provides seven simple, baseline address key that may arise researchers providing datasets use, responsible by users. By clear rules data, can increase confidence in providers, protect against mis-use analyses.

Язык: Английский

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Modeling the potential public health impact of different vaccination strategies with an adapted vaccine in South Africa

Expert Review of Vaccines, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 23(1), С. 750 - 760

Опубликована: Авг. 23, 2024

COVID-19 vaccines adapted to newly emerging circulating variants are necessary better protect the population due evolving nature of SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Язык: Английский

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