President Paul Kagame said through the African Union’s partnership for African vaccine manufacturing, there has been good progress in several countries, including Senegal, Rwanda and South Africa.
“With renewed commitments to the Addis Declaration on immunization, we can eradicate all remaining forms of polio, and get back on track with childhood vaccinations overall,” Kagame said while addressing the forum for immunization and polio eradication in Africa which is currently taking place in Dakar, Senegal.
According to him, the recent pledges of $2.6 billion toward the Global Polio Eradication Initiative take us a big step closer, but there is still another $2.2 billion left to raise.
“The recent pledges of $2.6 billion toward the Global Polio Eradication Initiative rake us a big step closer, but there is still another $2.2 billion left to raise,” he said.
With renewed commitments to the Addis Declaration on immunization, the Rwandan leader stressed that Africa can eradicate all remaining forms of polio, and get back on track with childhood vaccinations overall.
“Health is a right, and until everyone in Africa enjoys access to primary healthcare, including vaccination services, no one is safe. We have the resources and know-how. So let’s work together, and renew our commitment to eradicate polio, once and for all,” he said.
In June 2022, Rwanda inaugurated the BioNTech vaccine manufacturing plant in the buburb of Kigali city that will promote scalable mRNA vaccine production in Africa.
In partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the plant will manufacture tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria vaccines.
CU/as/APA