By Francis Chipalo
Pharmaceutical and Public Health Expert Dr. Jerome Kanyika has hailed President Hakainde Hichilema for the construction of Africa’s first oral cholera vaccine manufacturing plant in Zambia, describing it as a monumental milestone for public health and economic growth.
Dr. Kanyika said the facility will fundamentally transform health security and establish continental health sovereignty.
“For a long time Africa has heavily relied on imported vaccines. By breaking ground on this pioneering facility, Zambia is taking the lead in resolving global vaccine shortages,” he said.
Dr. Kanyika noted that cholera remains a persistent public health challenge across the continent and the plant will not only save lives but transform Zambia into a primary pharmaceutical exporter, attracting vital foreign exchange.
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He said the development validates Zambia’s strategic academic reforms, pointing to the University of Zambia School of Health Sciences which offers a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing designed to equip graduates with specialized technical skills.
“The arrival of the facility proves that UNZA’s academic roadmap is perfectly synchronized with the industrial needs of the country, ensuring that the local workforce is ready to operate, innovate and lead from day one,” he said.
Dr. Kanyika further credited the government’s ministerial realignments, noting that President Hichilema’s decision to allow Pharmaceutical Services to stand alone within the Ministry of Health has created the legislative focus needed to attract high-tier medical industrialization.
He said this is complemented by the newly created Ministry of Industry under the Grow Zambia Agenda, which provides the business ecosystem required to transition healthcare innovations into economic powerhouses.
“Zambia is moving beyond merely fighting diseases to building the intellectual, administrative and industrial infrastructure required to eliminate them,” Dr. Kanyika said.
He commended President Hichilema, Government and international partners for a vision that safeguards public health while positioning Zambian professionals at the forefront of global pharmaceutical manufacturing.
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