The German Government, through the KfW Development Bank, will provide SA with €20m for vaccine production over five years.
Higher Education & Science Minister Blade Nzimande said an agreement between the Department of Science & Innovation (DSI) and the KfW Development Bank has been signed.
“The grant is exclusively for financing equipment for the development, production and certification of active pharmaceutical ingredients for vaccine production,” he said.
In LegalBrief, Wyndham Hartley writes that it will be used, among other things, to support the mRNA technology transfer hub SA is hosting for the WHO to build vaccine manufacturing capacity in low and middle-income countries, although it will go beyond this in providing support.
“The objective of the technology transfer hub is to establish or enhance sustainable mRNA vaccine manufacturing capacity in regions with no or limited capacity, introduce new technologies in low and middle-income countries, promote regional research and development, strengthen regional bio-manufacturing know-how and workforce development, and develop regulatory capabilities to support and accelerate regional approval and distribution of mRNA vaccines,” said Nzimande.
He added that the German decision to work with the DSI was a vote of confidence its leadership’s management of international funds.
LegalBrief article – Health vaccine agreement signed (Restricted access)
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