The Minister of Health, Honourable Lizzie Nkosi opened the second consultative workshop for improving access to affordable vaccines for Middle Income Countries (MICs) in Africa, at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre in Ezulwini on 30 October 2019. This meeting, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa is attended by stakeholders involved in the procurement and use of vaccines from seven Middle Income  Countries in  African. 

The workshop is part of the WHO Regional Office’s efforts to increase the capacity of middle income countries in the African Region to make informed decisions on immunization product choices such as the vaccines, ensuring access to lifesaving vaccine as well as on leveraging political commitment and funding for immunization. 

Participants of the workshop are pondering on best practices from member states procurement initiatives and also build consensus and progress towards the operationalisation of the optimal vaccine procurement programmes for middle income countries. 

At the 28th African Union (AU) Summit on 31 January 2017, Heads of State from across Africa endorsed the Addis Declaration on Immunization (ADI), where they committed to advancing universal access to immunisation across the region. The ADI roadmap includes ten commitments to achieve universal and equitable access to immunisation on the African continent. It also builds on and complements existing efforts aimed at improving immunization in Africa and around the world, particularly the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP). The workshop somehow addresses one of the ADI roadmap strategies whereby member states are expected to generate and sustain political commitment and funding for immunisation.

To read more visit the WHO Africa page here