APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) The Council of Ministers (CoM) of Ethiopia Thursday approved a regulation providing for production of vaccines locally.
Accordingly, the council approved the establishment Ethio-BioPharma Group that will produce medical products (vaccines, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics) for both humans and animals and will supply them to domestic and foreign markets.
The approval of the regulations is a major milestone in ensuring the sustainability and quality of these essential products and improving their accessibility to protect national public health on our own, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health said in a statement.
“This lays the foundation for ensuring the country’s emergency preparedness and building a strong health care system,” according to the ministry’s statement.
Ethiopia, as a developing country, relies heavily on vaccine imports to meet its immunization needs. The government of Ethiopia, in collaboration with international organizations and donors, invests a significant amount of money each year to procure vaccines for its population. However, it is important to note that the exact annual spending on vaccine imports may vary from year to year due to factors such as changes in vaccine prices, disease outbreaks, and shifts in national health priorities.
In addition to purchasing and importing vaccines, the Government of Ethiopia also has been receiving vaccines donations from different donors. Meanwhile the value of vaccines donated to Ethiopia by donors is a dynamic and ever-changing figure, as it depends on various factors such as the time period in question, the specific vaccines being donated, and the organizations involved in the donation efforts.
MG/abj/APA