Description

Date - 23rd Jun 2021

The World Health Organization has set up a center in South Africa to provide companies in poor and middle-income countries with the know-how and licenses to manufacture coronavirus vaccines. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called WHO's efforts a historic step in the dissemination of rescue technologies.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he is pleased to announce that WHO is in talks with a consortium of companies and institutions to establish a technology transfer hub in South Africa.

The Global Health Agency said two South African companies have signed up so far and are in talks with Pfizer and Moderna to participate. These firms are called Biovac, the manufacturer, and African Biologics, the development company.

According to the WHO, the "technology transfer center" could enable African companies to start producing mRNA vaccines - the cutting edge technology now used in Moderna and Pfizer vaccines - in as little as 9-12 months.

Through this initiative, WHO will also be able to change the perception of Africa as a center of disease and underdevelopment. The Global Health Agency calls on wealthy countries to share vaccine technologies. The initiative to help African countries produce vaccines is particularly relevant at a time when the number of cases and deaths on the continent has increased by almost 40% over the past week.

The World Health Organization has described the center as a training center where the technology will be introduced on an industrial scale and clinical development will take place.

Interested manufacturers from low- and middle-income countries will be able to complete training and obtain all required technology licenses.

WHO is in talks with Pfizer and Moderna:

World Health Organization Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said the health agency is in talks with Pfizer and Moderna.

Firms make vaccines widely used in wealthy countries using new mRNA technology that sends instructions to the body to make proteins that trigger an immune response. Swaminathan added that we can expect COVID-19 vaccines to be produced in South Africa within 9-12 months.

For more Updates and Information - Click here 

For access to more than 10,000 Colleges - Click here

For Latest Sarkari Jobs - Click here

For Comprehensive Preparation of Competitive Exams - Click here

For School Studies and Exams Preparation across Eight Boards - Click here