Call for Applications: Biomanufacturing Fellowship Programme – Africa CDC

The African Union/African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have called for a New Public Health Order which will safeguard the health and economic security of the continent as it strives to meet the aspirations of Agenda 2063.A key pillar of this mandate seeks to expand the local manufacture of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Less than one percent of vaccines administered on the continent are manufactured locally. This places a great burden on the health systems of African countries and reduces their ability to respond to pandemics and other health crises.The Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) was established by the African Union (AU) in 2021 to deliver a bold goal: enabling the African vaccine manufacturing industry to develop, produce, and supply over 60 percent of the total vaccine doses required on the continent by 2040, up from less than 1 percent today (with interim goals of 10 percent by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030). Since 2024, the PAVM has been upgraded to the Platform for Harmonized African Health products Manufacturing(PHAHM) to extend its mandate to strengthening the manufacturing of therapeutics, diagnostics, and other health countermeasures.

The proposed biomanufacturing fellowship programme is designed to provide employees of biomanufacturing companies with necessary advanced competences as described by the developed Vaccine R&D and Vaccine Manufacturing Competency Frameworks – Africa CDC. Furthermore, the programme will equip participants with knowledge and skills in leadership, mentorship, management, resource enterprise planning, and entrepreneur-ship. Participants will gain a 2-year valuable theoretical and hands- on biomanufacturing and R&D industry experience, including a strong focus in one area of specialization of their choice. The fellows are not expected to leave their job, but they are expected to travel for some short courses/trainings.

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