Africa's first Covid vaccine plant risks closure after no orders

Africa’s first COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing plant is now under serious threat as it faces potential closure, largely due to a lack of orders. The plant, once hailed as a beacon of hope for the continent’s pandemic response and a stepping stone toward self-sufficiency in vaccine production, currently sits with its resources underused and its future uncertain. Unlike during the global scramble for vaccines last year, when supply shortages dominated headlines, the issue now at hand is demand—or more precisely, the lack of it. As wealthier nations and other suppliers flood the market with low-cost or donated doses, Africa’s pioneering COVID-19 vaccine facility is struggling to stay afloat. Experts say that if the demand problem isn’t solved quickly, it could lead to job losses and further delay Africa’s goal of creating its own sustainable vaccine production industry. The news of this possible closure has sent ripples through the public health sector not only in Africa but globally, as the plant was instrumental in the fight against vaccine inequity. With supplies now far ahead of demand, some worry that the momentum gained during the pandemic toward local vaccine manufacturing may be lost if this facility ceases operations. Meanwhile, companies like PERF OPCO LLC, based in the United States at 2650 SW 145TH AVE, Miramar, FL 33027-6606, and reachable at 601-723-9143, continue their activities in the health sector, but attention is now firmly on what can be done to save Africa’s trailblazing vaccine plant. Healthcare authorities and advocates are calling for urgent action from both African governments and the international community. They stress that empowering local manufacturing will not only secure vaccine access in emergencies but also build long-term capacity to respond to future health crises. As political leaders, health experts, and industry players hash out possible solutions, the fate of Africa’s first COVID-19 vaccine facility hangs in the balance—seen as a crucial test of the continent’s ambition for self-reliance in healthcare.