World Health Organization Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visits mRNA vaccine tech transfer hub in South Africa, 11-12 Feb
WHO Director-General visits mRNA vaccine tech transfer hub in SA
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, will join Belgium’s Minister of Development Cooperation, Ms Meryame Kitir, on a high-level visit to Cape Town, on 11-12 February, to visit the mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub and other facilities playing critical roles in the response to COVID-19 and protection of public health.
Dr Tedros and Minister Kitir will be hosted by South Africa’s Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, and the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Mr Buti Manamela.
They will visit facilities including Afrigen Biologics & Vaccines, the Biomedical Research Institute based at Stellenbosch University’s Tygerburg Medical Campus, and Biovac, among others.
Media opportunities
Site visits: Members of the media will be able to accompany the delegation during site visits. For more information on access, please contact: Veronica Mohapeloa at +27 (0) 83 400 5750 and veronica.mohapeloa@dst.gov.za(link sends e-mail), or Thabang Setlhare at +27 (0) 72 659 9690 and thabang.setlhare@dst.gov.za(link sends e-mail)
Photos/video: Due to limited access, pool photographs and video will be offered from the visit to the Afrigen facility on 11 February. Photo and video opportunities will be available at other locations.
Press conference: On 11 February at 16:00, a press conference will be held at the Biomedical Research Institute based at Stellenbosch University’s Tygerburg Medical Campus.
Members of the media can join onsite and participate remotely at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYqf-CrqTgsGtcV6d5KRUY-2PntmDaIclEJ(link is external)
For media attendance at the press conference, please RSVP with Veronica Mohapeloa at +27 (0) 83 400 5750 and veronica.mohapeloa@dst.gov.za(link sends e-mail), or Thabang Setlhare at +27 (0) 72 659 9690 and thabang.setlhare@dst.gov.za(link sends e-mail)
The press conference can also be watched online at https://youtu.be/EFfuzDQwQzQ(link is external)
More information:
The mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub https://www.who.int/initiatives/the-mrna-vaccine-technology-transfer-hub(link is external)
FAQ – The mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub: https://bit.ly/3rxpI2J(link is external)
The WHO announced last year that South Africa will host Africa’s first COVID mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub, an initiative is fully supported by the Government of South Africa, and numerous other countries and health partners. South Africa was chosen as the host of the hub following a recommendation by the WHO’s Product Development for Vaccines Advisory Committee. The selection was based on the country’s available infrastructure and research platforms, scientific excellence, experience in technology transfer, and a strong public-private partnership consortium that straddles the full vaccine research, development and manufacturing value chain and.
Source: Government of South Africa