New Africa CDC platform boosts regional health manufacturing

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has launched the African Manufacturing Market Intelligence & Network Analysis or AMMINA platform to strengthen regional health manufacturing, innovation, and self-reliance across the continent.

Unveiled alongside the African Healthcare Manufacturing Trade Exhibition and Conference in Accra, Ghana over the weekend, Africa CDC said the platform aimed to promote health sovereignty across the continent.

"AMMINA represents a bold step toward making high-quality, reliable and accessible data available to our member states and partners," said Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa CDC.

"Africa CDC is committed to ensuring that AMMINA becomes a trusted continental resource to advance health products manufacturing, investment and policy decision-making across Africa."

Kaseya said the initiative will provide comprehensive data on manufacturers, production capacities, product portfolios and market trends, enabling African Union (AU) Member States, manufacturers, investors, and partners to make informed decisions and strengthen industrial growth in health products manufacturing.

He said in its initial phase, AMMINA maps data from more than 700 manufacturers and over 2,500 health products across 18 AU Member States.

The Africa CDC he added, in collaboration with its partners, aims to extend this coverage to all 55 Member States, ensuring that data remain a continental public good governed by the African Union.

By offering an up-to-date picture of Africa's health manufacturing landscape, he said AMMINA is expected to unlock opportunities for intra-African trade, attract sustainable investment, and catalyse innovation in local production of vaccines, medicines and diagnostics.

"Together with AU institutions, member states and partners, we will ensure that AMMINA becomes a foundational instrument to unlock Africa's manufacturing potential, catalyse investment and secure the continent's health future," Africa CDC said in a statement.

According to Africa CDC, the launch comes as African nations push to reduce reliance on imported medical supplies, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains.

Kaseya said the new platform positions Africa CDC at the heart of regional efforts to build a resilient health ecosystem that supports economic integration and sustainable development across the continent.