Gates Foundation funding $40 million effort to help develop mRNA vaccines in Africa in coming years

By KRISTA LARSON
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is announcing $40 million in funding to help develop messenger RNA vaccines in Africa. The new investment will provide the technology to two Africa-based vaccine producers — Institut Pasteur in Senegal and Biovac in South Africa. Among the diseases they hope to target are Rift Valley fever and tuberculosis. The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were fast-tracked through the regulatory process and granted emergency use authorization. The new vaccines under development in Africa face a far longer development timeline — anywhere from three to seven years. The chief executive of Institut Pasteur said the deal will help build vaccine self-reliance in Africa.