As part of a concerted effort to ensure more equitable access to a potential pandemic influenza vaccine, six developing countries are being awarded grants to establish in-country manufacturing capacity for influenza vaccine. The countries are Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand and Viet Nam.
Up to US $2.5 million from the governments of Japan and the United States will go towards each of the six countries as immediate funding to begin the process of acquiring the needed technology. Japan has provided US $8 million and the United States US $10 million for technology transfer.
"It is imperative that the global community works collectively to ensure more equitable access to a vaccine and other health measures in the event of an influenza pandemic. We all have a responsibility to protect global public health security," said Dr David L. Heymann, World Health Organization (WHO) Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases. "Global public health security can only be realized if developing countries are assisted in developing the capabilities to access pandemic vaccines and protect their populations."
"With increased developing country flu vaccine production, there is a dual life-saving benefit. Countries will be able to protect their populations against seasonal influenza, which causes up to half a million annual deaths worldwide, as well as millions of cases of severe illness. In addition, should a pandemic emerge, production lines at these facilities can be converted to manufacture vaccine based on the pandemic strain," said Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, Director of the WHO Initiative for Vaccine Research.
The grants are part of the implementation of the Global pandemic influenza action plan which aims to close the influenza vaccine production gap of several billion doses.