Increasing local production of vaccines in Africa, including COVID-19 vaccines, could help expand access to these life-saving products and promote health security and supply chain resiliency on the continent. In particular, opportunities to expand capacity for the final few steps in the manufacturing process, known as last-mile manufacturing, may lower costs, speed up delivery and distribution, and increase preparedness for the next health emergency.

This white paper outlines the vaccine manufacturing process and challenges in Africa, and identifies opportunities and recommendations to scale-up last-mile manufacturing of vaccines across Africa, including increasing technical readiness, strengthening regulatory systems, and supporting policies and market access.