Leaders at CPHIA 2025 met in Durban to set out concrete steps for greater African self‑reliance in health. The conference opened at the Durban International Convention Centre under the theme “Moving Towards Self‑Reliance to Achieve Universal Health Coverage and Health Security in Africa”, and brought delegates from more than 20 countries as well as representatives of the African Union Commission, WHO, UNICEF, Gavi and the Global Fund. Hosts included Africa CDC, the Government of South Africa and AfricaBio’s BIO Africa Convention.
On Thursday (23 October) Blade Nzimande described a new Africa CDC‑led Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan that is backed by the African Union, Afreximbank and Gavi with a US$3.2 billion investment. The plan aims that by 2040 at least 60 per cent of all vaccines used in Africa will be produced on the continent. Organisers said the strategy will develop regional manufacturing hubs, implement WHO‑quality standards and strengthen drug regulation through the African Medicines Agency. Under the plan launched earlier this year, 10 per cent of the continent’s vaccine needs would be met locally by the end of this year.
The conference emphasised African‑led innovations, policy solutions and research to build resilient systems tailored to local needs. Speakers also focused on finance: Cyril Xaba warned the meeting was happening against an “unprecedented retrenchment in aid spending”, and the OECD projects bilateral overseas development aid for sub‑Saharan Africa will decline by between 16 and 28 per cent this year after a two per cent decline in 2024. The OECD warned that aid for health could fall to levels not seen since the mid‑2000s. Delegates therefore called for African solutions and innovative financing.
The meeting heard that 2024 was a record year for co‑payments by Gavi‑supported countries, exceeding US$250 million, and that Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator has attracted 13 manufacturers, with facilities set to become operational in Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Senegal. CPHIA 2025 will close on Saturday (25 October) and produce an outcome statement meant to advance Africa’s health future. The conference was positioned as a precursor to the G20 Health Ministers’ meeting in early November under South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
Difficult words
- pharmaceutical — Relating to medicines and their production
- manufacturing — The process of making products in factories
- retrenchment — A large reduction in spending or resources
- bilateral — Involving two countries or parties
- resilient — Able to recover quickly from problems
- precursor — Something that comes before and leads to another
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Discussion questions
- How might regional manufacturing hubs change vaccine availability in African countries? Give reasons.
- What are the possible benefits and challenges of relying more on African financing instead of foreign aid?
- How could implementing WHO‑quality standards and stronger drug regulation affect public trust in locally produced medicines?
