This archive report was first published on 1 July 2021.
On July 1, 2021, Rwanda signed a $3.6 million partnership with the European Union to upgrade its laboratory capacity and attract investors to manufacture Covid-19 vaccines.
The funds will be used to strengthen the Foods and Drugs Authority's quality control for medical products, enabling the regulator to acquire necessary certification from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
According to Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board, the partnership aims to 'revamp and strengthen' the Rwanda Foods and Drugs Authority, acquiring laboratory equipment to make it a modern facility.
‘The WHO certification we need for this will also build the confidence of investors who want to produce vaccines. They (investors) will be able to trust the regulatory capacity we want to strengthen with this funding,’ Akamanzi said.
Rwanda plans to start manufacturing coronavirus vaccines using mRNA technology after securing international backing to build local capacity in the coming months.
