WHO Expands Global Biomanufacturing Training Network to Boost Vaccine Access
Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The World Health Organization has expanded its global biomanufacturing training network, designating regional centres across all six regions to strengthen vaccine production and global health security.
The move marks a major milestone in the WHO Biomanufacturing Workforce Training Initiative launched in 2023, aimed at closing critical skills gaps and supporting sustainable local production of health technologies.
WHO Assistant Director-General Yukiko Nakatani said the initiative reflects a strategic shift toward building resilient and geographically diverse manufacturing capacity.
“Building a skilled biomanufacturing workforce is fundamental to advancing equitable access to health products and strengthening global health security,” she said.
Newly designated centres — including Institut Pasteur de Dakar and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research — will deliver hands-on training tailored to regional needs, working in coordination with a global hub in South Korea.
The initiative aligns with World Health Assembly resolution WHA74.6, which promotes local production of medicines and health technologies.
Experts say the expansion could help address long-standing inequities in access to vaccines and therapeutics, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, while strengthening preparedness for future pandemics.
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Mirian Gom 
