Discover Social Science and Health is accepting submissions for a collection on Financing Vaccine Research, Development, and Delivery Systems in Africa. The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2025.
Significant reductions in mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases in Africa have largely relied on external aid, R&D conducted outside Africa, and manufacturing beyond the continent. To sustain these health gains and promote further progress, major changes to the supply-side systems are essential. The Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing Framework, developed in response to calls from the African Union and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aims to ensure that by 2040, Africa manufactures 60% of its vaccine needs, up from the current 5%. As several middle-income African countries become ineligible for external aid and face donor exits/transitions (e.g., from Gavi), the need for equitable and sustainable vaccination financing grows, especially for poor households. Africa is home to the largest number of zero-dose children, most of whom reside in poor households. Meeting these ambitious goals and addressing impending vaccination challenges will require smarter financing of vaccine supply-side systems.
This collection invites submissions related to policy analysis, fiscal space analysis, political economy analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, investment cases, and vaccination benefit incidence analysis, to address these critical financing issues and improve vaccine policy in Africa. Our collection uniquely bridges gaps in the existing literature by offering novel, data-driven insights into sustainable financing strategies for Africa’s vaccine ecosystem, with a focus on equity and local manufacturing capacity.
Priority will be given to studies that generate new quantitative or qualitative data and studies that analyze existing data in new or innovative ways, such as case studies on financing mechanisms in specific African countries (e.g., Rwanda’s public-private partnerships, South Africa’s vaccine R&D hubs, or Nigeria’s fiscal reforms) or analyses of policies aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 or the Africa CDC’s vaccine manufacturing roadmap.
Submissions should advance actionable solutions to ensure equitable access and self-sufficiency in vaccine supply, particularly for underserved populations.
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