Minister Nzimande And World Health Organization Director-General to Engage With The Media
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, will join the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for the launch of the South Africa mRNA Technology Transfer Programme tomorrow, 20 April 2023.
The launch takes place alongside the first in-person meeting of partners and stakeholders of the WHO/Medicine Patents Pool mRNA Technology Transfer Programme in South Africa
Minister Nzimande said this meeting will be the first in a series of annual in-person events involving the key local and international stakeholders and partners of the mRNA technology transfer programme.
The Minister said this week's meeting will, among other things, review the progress of the programme; allow programme partners to share their experiences with vaccine development; and review business models, intellectual property issues and regulatory aspects relevant to mRNA vaccines.
The mRNA technology transfer hub is based at Afrigen in Cape Town. "This end-to-end mRNA vaccine development and production facility at Afrigen will be completed and ready for use and is the first tangible deliverable of the mRNA vaccine technology transfer programme," said Minister Nzimande.
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, on 21 June 2021, the WHO announced that South Africa would host the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme to build manufacturing capacity in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).
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 LMICs and promote regional research and development; strengthen regional biomanufacturing know-how and workforce development; and develop regulatory capabilities to support and accelerate regional approval and distribution of mRNA vaccines.
Minister Nzimande said that previous investments by the Department of Science and Innovation had put the country in an ideal position to host the hub.
Afrigen, Biovac and the South African Medical Research Council are partners at the hub, which is funded by several international partners. The programme will facilitate the sharing of technology and technical know-how with a network of technology recipients in LMICs.
The programme is as follows:
Minister Nzimande will join Dr Ghebreyesus and other dignitaries in a breakfast meeting. This meeting will be attended by all participants attending the entire launch programme, beneficiaries of the hub, industry members, experts and Cape Town-based community organisations.
Date: Thursday, 20 April 2023
Venue: Westin Hotel, Cape Town
Time: 08:00 – 10:00
The Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, will join Dr Ghebreyesus at the meeting of the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (HeLTI) Council and research teams. HeLTI is a collaboration between national research funding agencies in Canada, China, India, South Africa and the WHO. Its aim is to develop linked international intervention cohorts that will implement and test approaches to (i) prevent overweight and obesity in children and risk factors for non-communicable diseases, and (ii) improve early childhood development.
Date: Thursday 20 April 2023
Venue: Cullinan Hotel, Cape Town
Time: 10:15 – 10:45
Official launch of the mRNA technology transfer hub at Afrigen. This event will be hosted in the presence of distinguished guests and high-level South African government officials.
Date: Thursday 20 April 2023
Venue: Afrigen, 5 Kestrel Park, Longclaw Drive, Montague Gardens
Time: 11:30 – 13:30
To RSVP and for enquires, contact:
Zama Mthethwa
Cell: 082 808 3956
Email: Zama.Mthethwa@dst.gov.za,
Or
Taslima Viljoen
Cell: 082 990 1685
Email: Taslima.Viljoen@dst.gov.za
Enquiries:
Ishmael Mnisi
Cell: 066 037 8859
Email: Ishmael.Mnisi@dst.gov.za
