COVID-19 - PAHO/WHO Response, Report 60 (24 September 2021)

PAHO selects centers in Argentina and Brazil to develop COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Two centers in Argentina and Brazil were selected as regional hubs for the development and production of mRNA vaccines in Latin America in a bid to tackle COVID-19 and future infectious-disease challenges. This was announced during the “Technology Transfer for the Production of mRNA Vaccines in the Americas” side event of PAHO’s 59th Directing Council, by WHO’s Chief Scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, and PAHO’s Assistant Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa. The Bio-Manguinhos Institute of Technology on Immunobiologicals at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) was selected as the center in Brazil. Sinergium Biotech, a private sector biopharmaceutical company, was selected as the center in Argentina. Sinergium will partner with pharmaceutical mAbxience, which belongs to the same group, to develop and manufacture active vaccine ingredients. The selection is the result of an April 2021 WHO call for expression of interest inviting manufacturers and research institutions to contribute to the establishment of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine technology transfer hubs in emerging economies.

Ministries of Health from across the Americas addressed the COVID-19 pandemic and other health priorities at the PAHO Directing Council. Ministries of Health and other high-level authorities of countries and territories of the Region of the Americas participated in PAHO’s 59th Directing Council, held from 20 to 24 September 2021. Discussions focused on resolutions, policies, strategies, and roadmaps aimed at increasing the production capacity of essential medicines and health technologies in the Region, reinvigorating immunization as a public good for universal health, digitally transforming the health sector in the Region, and building resilient health systems and post COVID-19 pandemic recovery to sustain and protect public health gains, among others.