Zambia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China to establish its first cholera vaccine manufacturing facility, a significant step in combating the disease that has adversely affected the southern African country. Announced in Lusaka, the project will be developed via a partnership between Zambia’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and China’s Jijia International Medical Technology Corporation. The facility, with an initial phase costing $37 million, aims to produce approximately three million doses annually. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema emphasized the project’s importance, stating it could position Zambia as a manufacturing hub for Africa, which is experiencing rapid population growth. He urged for swift progress to avoid bureaucratic delays, given the project’s life-saving potential. As part of the MOU, China will donate three million cholera vaccine doses to Zambia prior to production. The southern African country has hrecently experienced a severe cholera outbreak, with over 400 deaths and more than 10,000 infections, highlighting the urgent need for this initiative.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS
