Improving access to vaccines

Vaccines save lives, providing necessary, long-term protection against many diseases. Critical in responding to health emergencies and endemic diseases alike, vaccines are the cornerstone of advancing global health security and improving health equity.

Vaccines remain one of most effective and affordable public health interventions, averting 50 million deaths in low- and middle-income countries since 2000 and saving $54 for every dollar spent. We work to increase access to quality-assured vaccines by de-risking investments to expand manufacturing capacity, strengthening regulatory and laboratory systems, and optimizing vaccine delivery and distribution.

Expanding Africa’s capacity to produce vaccines

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and African Union set a bold milestone of producing 60 percent of vaccines regionally by 2040. To help meet this important goal, USP is supporting manufacturers and regulators across Africa through technical assistance, thought leadership, and scientific guidance. In 2022, the Promoting the Quality of Medicines Plus (PQM+) program, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by USP, facilitated a hybrid workshop to strengthen capabilities for more than 200 regulators, academics, and manufacturers in 21 countries to improve quality vaccine production and oversight. The training was held in South Africa in partnership with the African Union, South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines, and the WHO-supported mRNA technology transfer hub.

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Strengthening medicines regulatory systems

Strong regulatory systems protect consumers from poor-quality medicines and help ensure the health and well-being of millions of patients.

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Expanding manufacturing capacity

Producing medicines closer to patients builds supply chain resilience and improves health equity.

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Bolstering public health laboratory networks

Strong laboratory systems help doctors make informed treatment decisions, empower regulators to act, and support researchers to quickly identify new diseases.

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