The African Development Bank Group together with the Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare has discussed Africa’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its capability to manufacture vaccines and other pharmaceutical.
The discussion took place when Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President of AfDB, met with Mr Kyoo Hong Cho, Korea’s Minister for Health and Welfare.
Dr Adesina said Africa had learnt a vital lesson from the Covid-19 pandemic, when the continent was caught unprepared.
He said, “It could not readily manufacture its own sanitisers and protective equipment. We cannot continue to outsource the health of Africans to the benevolence of others.”
The Bank President asked Korea to support the Africa Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation, which it had initiated.
He explained that it was established in 2022 to act as a transparent intermediate, advancing and brokering the interests of the African pharmaceutical sector with global and other Southern pharmaceutical companies to share intellectual-property-protected technologies, know-how and patented processes.
Dr Adesina said the African Development Bank was in the process of launching a fellowship programme that would send Africa’s pharmaceutical scientists for attachments to medical science centres in advanced countries.
He said his host also explored how some African countries could learn from Korea’s national health insurance scheme.
Mr Cho said he was impressed by the Bank’s effort to strengthen local capability production of vaccines and other pharmaceuticals.
He said: “Africa has its own particular climate, environment and circumstances. It is important to manufacture within Africa pharmaceuticals that meet the continent’s needs. There is scope for cooperation between Africa and Korea.”
He said Africa’s scientists would benefit from training offered by Korea following its designation last May by the World Health Organisation as the global training hub in biomanufacturing.
The Minister said that in Korea, “all Koreans are covered by the programme and all hospitals in the country are obliged to join the system. They pay according to income or assets.”
While in Seoul, the Bank chief also met with the National Assembly’s Forum for Africa Co-Chair Myoung Su Lee and President of the Korea-Africa Foundation Lyeo Woon-ki.
Korea joined the African Development Bank in 1982. It will host the 2024 Korea Africa Summit to establish mutual, beneficial, and sustainable, long-term cooperative relations with Africa.
Dr Adesina is leading the Bank’s delegation to this week’s 7th Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Ministerial Conference in the country’s cultural and second-largest city of Busan.
The conference is bringing together African finance ministers, heads of pan-African institutions, private sector leaders, host government officials and local investors to explore practical ways of supporting Africa achieve food security and universal access to electricity.
Source: GNA
