The President of the Republic, His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye, inaugurated today the Vaccinopole of Diamniadio, an infrastructure realized within the framework of the MADIBA project (Manufacturing in Africa for Disease Immunization and Building Autonomy). This event, which coincides with the centenary of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar, places Senegal on the long-awaited path to health and pharmaceutical sovereignty.
The ultramodern Vaccinopole, spanning nearly 5 hectares, houses a vaccine manufacturing unit, notably against Covid-19 and other endemic diseases. This installation represents a major advancement for the country, which aspires to locally produce high-quality vaccines and reduce its dependence on imports. It aims to strengthen pharmaceutical autonomy in Africa, where only 1% of consumed vaccines are produced locally.
During the inauguration ceremony, President Faye emphasized the strategic importance of this project for public health and the health security of Senegal, thanking the partners and the Pasteur Institute for their commitment to this vital initiative. He also reminded that this infrastructure, with its state-of-the-art technological platforms, will be capable of producing up to 300 million doses of vaccines per year to meet public health needs, not only for Senegal but also for the entire West Africa.
President Faye took the opportunity to call for active consultation and cooperation among different producers, national pharmaceutical regulatory agencies, the private sector, supply chains, universities, and research centers in various African countries. He highlighted the importance of creating an African pharmaceutical industry ecosystem that will achieve autonomy in vaccines, diagnostic tests, and medicines in Africa.
With this regional vaccine manufacturing center, Senegal positions itself as a key player in the fight against epidemics and pandemics.
See the speech of the Head of State:
Speech by the President of the Republic during the visit to the Vaccinopole in Diamniadio and the celebration of the centenary of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar.
December 13, 2024 - Only the speech itself is authoritative.
Mr. Minister of Health and Social Action,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Members of the Government,
Your Excellencies,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Governor of Dakar, Prefect of Rufisque, Mayor of Diamniadio, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar, General Delegate of the Dakar Urban Pole, Director General of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar,
Ladies and Gentlemen, financial, scientific, and technological partners of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar, Ladies and Gentlemen, staff of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar, Honorable Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with immense pleasure and a sense of pride that I stand before you today to celebrate a significant milestone in the history of our nation and the African continent: the centenary of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar. An institution that, since its founding, has embodied Senegal's commitment to fighting infectious diseases and promoting public health.
In 1924, the Pasteur Institute of Dakar was established, and since that time, it has consistently upheld the banners of scientific innovation and excellence. In this landmark year, we celebrate not only a rich scientific heritage but also a bold and ambitious vision for the future of public health in Africa.
The centenary of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar is an opportunity to recognize the exceptional journey of this institution and to look resolutely towards the future, towards what we are building together to ensure the health sovereignty of Senegal and our continent.
Ladies and Gentlemen, The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted Africa's structural vulnerabilities in public health. While we have made considerable progress in recent decades, our continent still largely depends on imports for its needs in medicines, diagnostic tests, and, most critically, vaccines. Currently, Africa produces only 1% of its vaccines, 5% of its diagnostic tests, and 30% of its medicines.
This reality, which no crisis should leave unanswered, has driven the Senegalese government to initiate an ambitious program for health and pharmaceutical sovereignty. This program aims to enable our country to cover at least 50% of its vaccine and medicine needs with local production by 2035. This program is part of the broader ambition of the African Union and Africa CDC, which aim to achieve 60% vaccine production in Africa by 2040.
The Vaccinopole of Diamniadio is at the heart of this vision. It represents a strategic investment in the future of health in Africa and is an integral part of our strategy for building a sovereign, just, and prosperous Senegal, based on the promotion of science, technology, innovation, and excellence. It is also part of the National Transformation Agenda "Senegal 2050," which aims to develop quality human capital and social equity through universal health coverage that includes pharmaceutical and vaccine sovereignty.
Thanks to its state-of-the-art technological platforms, this Vaccinopole will be capable of producing up to 300 million doses of vaccines per year to meet public health needs, not only for Senegal but also for the entire West Africa region.
Ladies and Gentlemen, This vision of health sovereignty, championed by the Pasteur Institute of Dakar and its partners, rests on unprecedented regional and international collaboration. I take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the financial partners – the European Union and the European Investment Bank, Germany with KFW and GIZ, France with AFD, the United Kingdom with FCDO, Japan, the Islamic Development Bank, the World Bank Group with the International Finance Corporation, the United States Development Finance Corporation, the African Development Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mastercard Foundation, Open Society Foundation, Susan Buffet Foundation, Elma Foundation, CEPI – who have joined the contributions of the Senegalese government, as well as technical partners such as WHO, Africa CDC, UniverCells Group, BIONTECH, IAVI, and Batavia.
This is also an opportunity to call for active consultation and cooperation among different producers, national pharmaceutical regulatory agencies, the private sector, supply chains, universities, and research centers in various African countries to foster the emergence of an African pharmaceutical industry ecosystem that will enable us to achieve autonomy in vaccines, diagnostic tests, and medicines in Africa.
In this endeavor, the recent achievement of maturity level 3 by Senegal's pharmaceutical regulatory agency (ARP) and the ISO 9001-2015 certification of the National Ethics Committee for Health Research (CNERS) are commendable milestones that constitute major assets for our country. In this same dynamic, I commend the creation of VaxSen by the Pasteur Institute of Dakar, the entity responsible for commercializing the vaccines produced by the Vaccinopole.
Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the researchers, scientists, technicians, international partners, and teams who have contributed to this ambitious project. You are the architects of this new era of public health in Senegal and Africa.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I urge you to continue this momentum of scientific solidarity and international cooperation. Together, we can build a future where health challenges are no longer an insurmountable burden but an opportunity for progress and well-being for all. The path ahead is long, but the progress made thus far encourages us to keep moving forward.
Mr. Director General of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar, Ladies and Gentlemen, staff of the Pasteur Institute of Dakar, The Vaccinopole of Diamniadio is not only an investment for Senegal, but also for Africa and humanity. I thank you and extend my heartfelt congratulations for what you have achieved and for what you will continue to achieve in the years to come. Senegal and Africa are counting on you.
Thank you for your kind attention.