Manufacturing Biz #2 - Magazine - Page 22
WHO launch the WHO
Biomanufacturing Workforce
Training Initiative to strengthen
global health resilience
T
he COVID-19 pandemic
underscored the vulnerabilities
of global supply chains, particularly
impacting low- and middle-income
countries' (LMIC) access to essential
medical products. The concentration of
global manufacturing capacity in a few
countries and regions exacerbated this
disparity, highlighting the urgent need for
equitable solutions.
Biological products, such as vaccines,
and monoclonal antibodies, offer
significant promise in combating global
health challenges. However, the limited
biomanufacturing capacity in LMICs and a
shortage of a qualified workforce impede
their production locally for national and
regional health needs. In response to
the growing need, WHO is launching the
WHO Biomanufacturing Workforce Training
Initiative. This initiative is coordinated
by the Local Production and Assistance
(LPA) Unit, on behalf of the Access to
Medicines and Health Products (MHP)
Division at WHO, in close collaboration
with the WHO Academy and WHO Science
Division. The WHO Biomanufacturing
Workforce Training Initiative aims to
enhance bioproduction capabilities in
LMICs by providing accessible and tailored
training programs, aligned with WHO and
international standards, and adapted to
the evolving needs of the bioproduction
sector. Coordinated and managed by Dr
Jicui Dong, Unit Head of the Local
22
Production and
Assistance Unit
(LPA/RPQ/MHP/WHO) with close
collaboration from the WHO Academy
and WHO Science Division, this initiative
will have three pillars: existing capacity
building activities within WHO, the Global
Training Hub for Biomanufacturing and
regional training centres. Organised by
the LPA Unit, WHO's capacity-building
programs have been successful in
providing innovative and needs-based
technical assistance to manufacturers and
Member States.
These capacity building and technical
assistance programs, including virtual and
hands-on training sessions using reallife scenarios, have been instrumental in
promoting sustainable and quality local
production. Such as:
- Annual Virtual cGMP Training Marathons
for Vaccine Manufacturing
- The Week of Quality and other CMC
trainings on vaccines and other medical
products
- Regional holistic training workshops
on key enablers for sustainable local
production
M A N U FA C T U R I N G B I Z M A G A Z I N E | A P R I L 2 0 2 4
The GTH-B,
established in 2023
in collaboration with the
Republic of Korea, offers
training programs to LMICs to build
workforce capacity in the development
and manufacture of biological products
such as vaccines and cancer medicines.
The programs include hands-on training
in manufacturing facilities and courses
in manufacturing best practices and
vaccinology.
Additionally, regional training centres,
in line with the recommendations of
the 2nd World Local Production Forum
(WLPF), will further enhance geographical
diversity and resource synchronisation.
Expressions of interest for regional training
centres to join the global network under
the Biomanufacturing Workforce Training
Initiative will be invited in the near
future. For more information, please visit
the WHO Biomanufacturing Workforce
Training Initiative website or contact
localproduction@who.int.