Improving access to health products through technology transfer: Lessons from MAV+ and WHO/MPP mRNA Technology Transfer Programme

A Team Europe MAV+ event on the sidelines of the 

You are cordially invited to join Team Europe MAV+ for a panel discussion on improving access to health products through technology transfer.

EVENT DETAILS

• Date: Wednesday 22, 2025, 17h30-19h00 (doors open at 17h15)

• Co-hosted by: The European Commission, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Spain on behalf of Team Europe MAV+

• Location: Brussels

• Please RSVP: Leónidas Leiva (leonidas.leiva@enabel.be) and Alexis Ditkowsky (alexis.ditkowsky@giz.de) from the Team Europe Support Structure MAV+

CONTEXT

Access to health products remains a critical issue today, with billions of people worldwide lacking adequate and consistent access to quality health products. This multifaceted challenge encompasses issues such as the lack of equitable access to medical countermeasures during outbreaks, drug shortages resulting from structural issues and vulnerabilities in the supply chain, affordability challenges, and increasing vaccine hesitancy. This lack of equitable access can result in poor health outcomes, with diseases or conditions remaining undiagnosed, untreated, or sub-optimally treated.

In response to these challenges and to global supply chain disruptions, the local production agenda has gained momentum. Various stakeholders, including the African Union and Africa CDC, have developed strategies to support local manufacturing of vaccines and other health products. This initiative is supported by MAV+, which aims to foster equitable access to health products, stimulate local production capabilities, and enhance self-sufficiency in health product manufacturing across Africa. Team Europe is working closely with Team Africa, multilateral partners – including WHO – and the private sector to accelerate manufacturing and equitable access to health products through MAV+ in Africa as part of the Global Gateway strategy. The EUR 2 billion portfolio includes dozens of projects and implementers.

Local production can significantly improve equitable access to health products by increasing availability, fostering strategic production of essential medicines, and enhancing supply chain resilience. By producing health products locally, manufacturers can better meet national market demands, adapt products to local preferences, and ensure wider distribution, particularly in remote areas.

In a time of budget constraints, it is crucial to maximize our impact by carefully reflecting how the local production agenda can best improve equitable access to health products. This involves leveraging the strengths of local manufacturing to ensure that healthy products are available, accessible, acceptable, and of high quality. By fostering strategic partnerships, investing in resilient supply chains, and prioritizing the production of essential medicines, we can enhance the stability and availability of health products. Additionally, learning from the experiences of different stakeholders and projects will help us refine our strategies and address access gaps more effectively. Through a collaborative and innovative approach, we can ensure that the local production agenda significantly contributes to improved health outcomes and equitable access to essential health products for all.

OBJECTIVES OF THE EVENT

This side event aims to explore how technology transfer can be leveraged to enhance equitable access to health products.

More specifically, the session seeks to: 

• Bring key stakeholders together to exchange perspectives on improving equitable access to health products, ensuring a clear understanding of responsibilities across the ecosystem
• Highlight successful models and strategies for improving technology transfer initiatives, drawing on experiences and lessons learned from various projects and partnerships
• Provide an opportunity for networking among key influencers on equitable access in Europe, Africa, and multilateral partners

GUIDING QUESTIONS

• What mechanisms have proven effective in expanding equitable access through technology transfer?
• What access-oriented licensing models are needed to enable sustainable tech transfer?
• How can AU-EU partnerships, together with multilateral and private sector actors, strengthen technology transfer ecosystems in Africa?
• What is the key operational and structural challenges currently limiting effective technology transfer?
• What innovative models (including financing approaches) are emerging to make technology transfer more efficient and impactful?
• How can technology transfer partnerships between the AU and EU evolve to ensure they remain equitable, transparent, and mutually beneficial?

SPEAKERS

• Charles Gore, Medicines Patent Pool (MPP)
• Julia Hochberger, Wemos
• Mina Louis, Africa CDC-PHAHM (online)
• Sadhavi Chauhan, Access to Medicines Foundation
• Sander Spanoghe, Government of Flanders
• Thi Hanh Cao, DNDi  

The session will be moderated by Leónidas Leiva, Technical Expert, for the Team Europe Support Structure MAV+. 

Additional speakers to be confirmed.

AGENDA AND FORMAT

The side-event is in-person and invite-only with a maximum capacity of 40 people and will be conducted in English (no interpretation). There is no option for remote participation.

• 17h15 – 17h30 Arrival and registration

• 17h30 – 17h35 Welcome remarks by the European Commission

• 17h35 – 18h30 Panel discussion

• 18h30 – 19h00 Networking drinks

~~~

ABOUT TEAM EUROPE MAV+ 

Strengthening health systems around the world is a pillar of the EU's Global Gateway strategy and the Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies in Africa (TEI MAV+). 

MAV+ is a comprehensive support package tackling barriers to manufacturing and access to health products and technologies in Africa that is tightly aligned with African strategies and priorities. Its overall objective is to facilitate access to quality, safe, effective and affordable health products as outlined in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.8.  

MAV+ members include the European Commission, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the European Investment Bank (EIB).