China and Korea have contributed $4 million to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to help address urgent health funding gaps following a reduction in U.S. aid, the continent’s top health agency announced.
Africa CDC had previously relied on a $500 million pledge from the U.S., but this commitment has now been reduced to $385 million, leaving a significant shortfall, Director-General Jean Kaseya said in an online briefing on Thursday.
To mitigate the impact, Africa CDC is engaging with the U.S. government and the private sector while also launching the African Epidemic Fund. Approved last week, the fund will utilise leftover COVID-19 resources to ensure swift responses to health crises without requiring African Union approval.
Additionally, efforts to enhance local vaccine production in Africa are advancing. Kaseya revealed that an mpox vaccine technology transfer from Bavarian Nordic A/S to an African company is expected within a week, though the company’s name has yet to be disclosed.
Credit: Bloomberg/MSN (Text Excluding Headline)
