On Monday, the world’s largest vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII), plans to start its manufacturing plant in Africa, to expand its success in selling COVID-19 shots, media reported.

Africa was the only continent that did not have its manufacturing capacity for COVID shots during the worst phases of the pandemic in the last two years, leaving it at the mercy of suppliers from overseas, including the SII.

“It’s never been a better time to be a vaccine manufacturer. I’m looking at expanding our manufacturing across the globe,” SII Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla said during an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

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“There are some great countries out there: South Africa, Rwanda, you know, and a few that we’re looking at.”

Poonawalla said he met some African officials in Davos to discuss his plans. Asked about possible investments, he said such projects typically required around $300 million.

He did not say what products an African plant might make. Apart from COVID shots, the SII’s Indian plants make vaccines for diphtheria, BCG, measles, rubella and other conditions. Asked about concerns over the rise of monkeypox cases, Poonawalla said he believed the disease was not so infectious.

“We’ll wait and see even if we want to make a vaccine for it,” he said.
Monkeypox is usually mild and is endemic in parts of the west and central Africa. The World Health Organization expects to identify more cases as it expands surveillance in countries where the disease is not typically found.