The Head of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus says South Africa’s mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in Montagu Gardens is a game-changer in combatting many diseases, not just Covid-19.

Ghebreyesus was in Cape Town on 11 February and visited the Afrigen Biologics & Vaccines facility as well as the Biomedical Research Institute based at Stellenbosch University’s Tygerberg Medical Campus, and Biovac.

President Cyril Ramaphosa met with Ghebreyesus in Cape Town today and they discussed the progress in making Africa self-sufficient in the production of COVID-19 vaccines and related treatments.

Ghebreyesus and the Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation Meryame Kitir are on a two-day visit to various vaccine-related sites around Cape Town.

President Ramaphosa has welcomed this oversight visit by the World Health Organisation as an opportunity to profile the depth of intellectual and technological capacity on the African continent, and the integrity with which intellectual property is being leveraged to enable vaccine production in Africa.