Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina: Launch of Biovac product development laboratory

CEO, Gates Foundation, Mr Mark Suzman
CEO, Biovac, Mr Morena Makhoana
European Commission, Ms Cecile Billaux
Director of Partnerships, EIB Global, Mr Richard Amor
IDC Representatives
IFC Representative, Mr Ken Osei
AfDB Representative, Mr Arun Kumar
Senior management of DSTI

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is with pleasure that I represent the leadership of government to witness such a glorious achievement for our country, a progress in our ambition to achieve not only our vaccine manufacturing capabilities as South Africa, but a demonstration that vaccine manufacturing autonomy for the African continent is possible.

At the high-level dialogue on future vaccine manufacturing in Africa in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the President of South Africa, His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa, highlighted that the manufacturing of vaccines locally was an important step towards African self-reliance that will help the continent meet its development aspirations. He also stated that the plan to produce vaccines locally will only be realised through strategic partnerships and technology transfer.

On behalf of government and the people of South Africa, I want to express our gratitude to the Gates Foundation for choosing South Africa as one of the countries to invest in with regard to a state-of-the-art laboratory equipped with advanced technologies to produce vaccines. This, for us, is a game changer. Thank you very much!

The opening of the Biovac laboratory here in Cape Town today is a huge milestone that highlights the Gates Foundation’s long-standing partnership with Biovac — a partnership that has endured many challenges, but you never gave up on us. Today, you have become a key partner that has enabled the delivery of the first end-to-end (with complete integrated process) vaccine in Africa.

What is more crucial is that the investment in this partnership is not just about machines. This investment also embodies the catalytic nature of facilities that initiate a virtuous cycle where their existence attracts more projects, more partnerships, and more investment. The investment also goes beyond vaccine manufacturing — it speaks to our ambition of building a capable state, improving livelihoods, and enhancing quality of life through healthy citizens and employment creation.

When the government of South Africa took a decision to establish Biovac, it was because we wanted to rebuild our vaccine manufacturing capabilities. Appreciating the complexities of vaccine manufacturing, a decision was taken to proceed with a backward integration approach. We relied on strategic partnerships to move from packaging to fill-finish, in the hope that one day we would develop our own vaccine from research.

There were failures in various strategic partnerships, but a few successes we had kept the hope alive. I want to thank the Board and Executives for staying focused on the long-term vision even during the most difficult times, because there were indeed difficult times. It is now a fact that Biovac has become a continental leader in vaccine development and manufacturing, thanks to your perseverance.

Through several targeted grants, the Gates Foundation has also supported technology transfer for Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) production — in the next few days, we will hold special events to celebrate this achievement. These efforts aim to help Biovac and similar partners improve access to life-saving vaccines at affordable costs, strengthen local capabilities, and attract further investment to scale vaccine manufacturing across the continent.

The issue of vaccine capabilities and our own sovereignty is very close to us as the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, and government as a whole. The enduring pain that this country went through during COVID-19 and the frustration that came first with lack of diagnostic kits and then vaccine hoarding, is still fresh in our minds.

But as we kept saying, it was important not to waste a good crisis. The coming on board of partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the European Commission, Canada, France, Germany, and Belgium, just to mention a few, has us today pointing to tangible programmes on the ground.

Today, not only do we talk of having built mRNA vaccine manufacturing technology capabilities through the World Health Organisation and Medicines Patent Pool (WHO/MPP) mRNA Technology Transfer Hub, we also have real testimonies of manufacturers from no fewer than 15 countries across Africa, South America, Asia, and Europe who have undergone training here in South Africa at Afrigen facilities — which facilities have also been established through global solidarity by the funders I have mentioned above. This has given us the flexibility, in preparation for future pandemics, to also target diseases that are a priority for us such as TB, HIV/AIDS, and Malaria.

Our process to develop the Vaccine Innovation and Manufacturing Strategy (VIMS) is a response to these experiences. A country like South Africa must build health resilience and mitigate against the continent’s reliance on imported vaccines that come at a huge cost for these economies.

If anything, today we are witnessing the realisation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation mantra — you are indeed living your belief that “life has equal value.” In all corners of the world, from partnerships that give dignity to the marginalised, to ensuring food security, nutrition, and healthy societies, your impact is felt.

I recall in October 2023, when the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Gates Foundation launched the Human Development Accelerator (HDX) — an initiative aimed at deploying over €1 billion in innovative financing for the expansion of health products and vaccine manufacturing capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa.

It is a huge feat that the Gates Foundation brought together key financing partners, investors, and government representatives to highlight the value of collaborative financing models that bridge philanthropic, public, and private capital. From where we are sitting, this partnership is a powerful tool to unlock funding and financing for the health sector: the European Commission provides guarantees to the EIB’s venture loans to earlier stage, high-impact projects. As South Africa and Africa, we are excited that this partnership architecture benefits us at this scale.

As Biovac’s plans to build a multi-vaccine manufacturing facility in South Africa — that will have the capacity to produce 500 million doses of vaccines per year — slowly move into gear, it will continue to seek large-scale investment from a range of investors, including HDX. The financing would support Biovac to scale its operations and build on its successful partnerships with the Government of South Africa, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South Africa, as well as the Gates Foundation.

I take this opportunity to commend Biovac in its quest for various vaccine manufacturing capabilities to supply the continent, working with various partners far wider than government, including the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Africa cannot and should not, in the near future, import medicines to tackle diseases. The pharmaceutical industry that we must build on the continent, with Biovac leading the charge, must result in greater medicinal autonomy, ease of cross-border supply timelines, and affordability for the poor.

Additionally, Biovac must mobilise more private sector investments in this area. The pharmaceutical industry in Africa can still grow tenfold and capture a huge market share both in public healthcare and private healthcare provision.

In this regard, once again I convey our thanks to Mark Suzman and the Foundation, and a special thanks to Cecile Billaux, Richard Amor, Arun Kumar, and our IDC. I also thank the Biovac Board, the CEO Dr Morena Makhoana, Biovac Executives and the staff at large.

Today we have only reached a milestone, we have not arrived yet — but let’s celebrate this crucial milestone. Let me also wish you the best for the roundtable conversation today.

Thank you.

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