{"id":8622,"date":"2021-05-20T10:21:44","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T14:21:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drealfmgrenada.com\/?p=8622"},"modified":"2021-05-20T10:21:44","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T14:21:44","slug":"paho-promotes-self-sufficiency-in-vaccine-manufacturing-in-the-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drealfmgrenada.com\/index.php\/2021\/05\/20\/paho-promotes-self-sufficiency-in-vaccine-manufacturing-in-the-region\/","title":{"rendered":"PAHO Promotes Self Sufficiency In Vaccine Manufacturing In The Region"},"content":{"rendered":"

(AFP)-L<\/span>atin America must expand its vaccine production capabilities and bet on promising technologies, such as messenger RNA, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cExpanding the capacity of Latin America and the Caribbean to manufacture strategic medical supplies, especially vaccines, is a necessity both for our population and as a health security issue,\u201d PAHO Director Carissa Etienne said at a press conference.<\/p>\n

The head of the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the reduction in infections, hospitalizations and deaths from Covid-19 in the United States, which she attributed to the high percentage of the vaccinated population, and urged to improve the distribution of vaccines throughout the continent.<\/p>\n

Most of the 400 million doses applied throughout the Americas correspond to the United States, while only 3% of Latin Americans are fully immunized against Covid-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe glaring gaps in access to Covid-19 vaccines in Latin America and the Caribbean are a symptom of our region\u2019s over-dependence on imports of medical supplies,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Less than 4% of the medical products used to respond to the pandemic come from Latin American countries, which explains the shortage of personal protective equipment, oxygen, medicines and vaccines in the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe urgently need more vaccines for Latin America and the Caribbean,\u201d Etienne said.<\/p>\n

The promise of mRNA<\/h2>\n

The PAHO director was optimistic about the regional capacity to expand production, noting that Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Mexico already have vaccine manufacturing plants, some of which are being upgraded to produce the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.<\/p>\n

But she urged going \u201cmuch further.\u201d<\/p>\n

Latin America must not only increase production throughout the vaccine value chain, but also bet on the \u201cpromise\u201d of technologies such as mRNA, which is \u201cmore innovative and expensive\u201d but has promise beyond Covid-19, she said.<\/p>\n

Etienne pointed out that PAHO is already working with WHO to spread mRNA vaccine technology, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organization of American States (OAS) are in talks to guarantee resources and support to the countries that want to expand their manufacturing capacity.<\/p>\n

Chile, Argentina and Peru have already shown interest, she said.<\/p>\n

What does it take to make this work? According to Etienne, regional cooperation to ensure a scale that makes production sustainable, commitment to regional purchases and guarantees that products can circulate without export restrictions, even during emergencies.<\/p>\n

\u201cPAHO is committed to coordinating with its member countries and partners to promote a vision of greater self-sufficiency in the manufacture of vaccines and medical products in the Americas,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The power of vaccines<\/h2>\n

PAHO said Wednesday that Covid-19 infections declined across the Americas in the past month, with \u201cthe most dramatic change\u201d in the United States, progress it said \u201cis testament to the power of vaccines.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, almost half of [US] Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine against the virus and almost 85% of those over the age of 85 are fully immunized,\u201d Etienne said.<\/p>\n

The United States, the country in the world with the most fatalities from Covid-19, has applied some 275.5 million doses to more than 158 million people (47.8% of the population). Of these people, 124 million are fully immunized (37.6% of the population), with vaccines of one or two doses, according to official figures.<\/p>\n

In the rest of the continent, however, there has been an increase in infections in Costa Rica, Panama and some regions of Honduras, as well as in Caribbean countries such as Haiti. Infections have also grown in Bolivia, while the \u201cdownward trend\u201d of the previous weeks in Brazil has stopped, warned PAHO.<\/p>\n

Due to sustained community transmission in the vast majority of Latin American and Caribbean countries, Sylvain Aldighieri, PAHO\u2019s Covid-19 Incident Manager, recommended that fully vaccinated people continue to wear masks in the region, a measure health authorities have lifted in the United States.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(AFP)-Latin America must expand its vaccine production capabilities and bet on promising technologies, such as messenger RNA, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Wednesday. \u201cExpanding the capacity of Latin America and the Caribbean to 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Regional News<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"(AFP)-Latin America must expand its vaccine production capabilities and bet on promising technologies, such as messenger RNA, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Wednesday. \u201cExpanding the capacity of Latin America and the Caribbean to 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