How Western countries could stop Africa making vaccines of the future

At Afrigen in Cape Town, South Africa, scientists have developed a mRNA vaccine that could revolutionise vaccine manufacturing in the global South-- if it is not held back by IP issues. © RFI/Laura-Angela Bagnetto

While Western donors have stumped up significant funding for a programme to make Covid-19 vaccines in Africa, activists say more support is needed to help poor countries secure the intellectual property rights they need to produce mRNA vaccines beyond the pandemic.

Grants and loans from Western countries, including France, have driven momentum for a "made in Africa" vaccine.