By Kwon Deok-cheol
The World Health Organization (WHO) nominated Korea as the global bio-manufacturing workforce training hub on Feb. 23.
The WHO is promoting two hub projects in order to resolve the inequality in vaccine supply between countries and regions; mRNA technology transfer hub and bio-manufacturing workforce training.
The WHO designated South Africa as an mRNA technology transfer hub in June, 2021, and then in February of this year, 13 countries in Africa, Asia and South America are now recipients of the mRNA technology transfer hub.
However, the WHO acknowledges that being equipped with trained professionals in the field of bio-manufacturing is a prerequisite for the building of manufacturing facilities and facilitating technology transfer so as to initiate the "global bio-manufacturing workforce training hub" project.
The nomination as the hub signifies Korea's central role in training bio-workforce for low-and middle-income countries in vaccine and biologics manufacturing.
Many global institutions have shown a keen interest in this project in hopes of elevating national status, promoting their domestic pharmaceutical industry, or hosting the headquarters of international organizations.
The WHO selected Korea as the sole hub of the initiative due to Korean bio companies' excellent manufacturing capacity as well as Korea's existing training infrastructure and the strong commitment and support of the Korean government.
Korea becoming the hub is a momentous achievement, thanks in large part to close public and private cooperation.
The Korean government has made significant investments in vaccine development, manufacturing, global cooperative mechanisms, and production infrastructure through the pan-governmental global vaccine hub strategy.
The pharmaceutical industry and various research institutes joined the effort as well. The WHO's nomination of Korea as the hub was accompanied with the international community's high expectations for Korea to take on the leading role in promoting global health security.
Korea is the only nation that transitioned from an aid recipient to a donor. Just 60 years ago, Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world.
However, with the help and support of the WHO and the international community, our impoverished public health system has become one of the strongest in the world, turning into a country that exports essential health technologies such as vaccines and biologics. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, Korean companies shared the virus strain for vaccine production under a project led by the WHO.
Korea was able to learn the manufacturing process of vaccines and produce its H1N1 vaccine. In 10 years, we have become a nation with the second-largest biologics production capacity which has produced COVID-19 vaccines such as Astra Zeneca, Novavax, Sputnik V, Moderna and others through contract manufacturing.
The country is now well-positioned to share its experience and resources. Korea, a nation that made history as the first country to transition itself from a beneficiary of international aid to a benefactor of one, has made another record in the annals of global health security.
With our experience, we are now ready to stand in solidarity with low-and middle-income countries to share our experience and resources.
Starting 2022, 370 international trainees from low-and middle-income countries will join the training program utilizing our education infrastructure in Incheon and Osong, North Chungcheong Province. Going forward, we will train 2000 trainees a year from 2025.
Through our training program, governments and companies from low-and middle-income countries will learn the basics of the biologics manufacturing process and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulatory practice to produce vaccines of their own.
Korea will play a significant role in establishing global standards in training bio-manufacturing process training and relevant regulatory standards. In addition, our leadership is expected to be strengthened as we will spearhead global vaccine and bio-related discussions through holding international events including the Global Bio Conference.
Based on our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, a regional outbreak will not stop at a regional level with this level of globalization. Empowering low-and middle-income countries with sufficient health capacity through solving the vaccine inequity issue is a necessary step toward not only protecting Koreans' health but also the health of humanity.
As we become the hub of the global bio-manufacturing workforce training, it is time that we gather our strengths to continue this momentum of advancing health security as the global health leader.
Kwon Deok-cheol is the minister of health and welfare of the Republic of Korea.
The World Health Organization (WHO) nominated Korea as the global bio-manufacturing workforce training hub on Feb. 23.
The WHO is promoting two hub projects in order to resolve the inequality in vaccine supply between countries and regions; mRNA technology transfer hub and bio-manufacturing workforce training.
The WHO designated South Africa as an mRNA technology transfer hub in June, 2021, and then in February of this year, 13 countries in Africa, Asia and South America are now recipients of the mRNA technology transfer hub.
However, the WHO acknowledges that being equipped with trained professionals in the field of bio-manufacturing is a prerequisite for the building of manufacturing facilities and facilitating technology transfer so as to initiate the "global bio-manufacturing workforce training hub" project.
The nomination as the hub signifies Korea's central role in training bio-workforce for low-and middle-income countries in vaccine and biologics manufacturing.
 |
| Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol / Courtesy of Ministry of Health and Welfare |
The WHO selected Korea as the sole hub of the initiative due to Korean bio companies' excellent manufacturing capacity as well as Korea's existing training infrastructure and the strong commitment and support of the Korean government.
Korea becoming the hub is a momentous achievement, thanks in large part to close public and private cooperation.
The Korean government has made significant investments in vaccine development, manufacturing, global cooperative mechanisms, and production infrastructure through the pan-governmental global vaccine hub strategy.
The pharmaceutical industry and various research institutes joined the effort as well. The WHO's nomination of Korea as the hub was accompanied with the international community's high expectations for Korea to take on the leading role in promoting global health security.
Korea is the only nation that transitioned from an aid recipient to a donor. Just 60 years ago, Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world.
However, with the help and support of the WHO and the international community, our impoverished public health system has become one of the strongest in the world, turning into a country that exports essential health technologies such as vaccines and biologics. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, Korean companies shared the virus strain for vaccine production under a project led by the WHO.
Korea was able to learn the manufacturing process of vaccines and produce its H1N1 vaccine. In 10 years, we have become a nation with the second-largest biologics production capacity which has produced COVID-19 vaccines such as Astra Zeneca, Novavax, Sputnik V, Moderna and others through contract manufacturing.
The country is now well-positioned to share its experience and resources. Korea, a nation that made history as the first country to transition itself from a beneficiary of international aid to a benefactor of one, has made another record in the annals of global health security.
With our experience, we are now ready to stand in solidarity with low-and middle-income countries to share our experience and resources.
Starting 2022, 370 international trainees from low-and middle-income countries will join the training program utilizing our education infrastructure in Incheon and Osong, North Chungcheong Province. Going forward, we will train 2000 trainees a year from 2025.
Through our training program, governments and companies from low-and middle-income countries will learn the basics of the biologics manufacturing process and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulatory practice to produce vaccines of their own.
Korea will play a significant role in establishing global standards in training bio-manufacturing process training and relevant regulatory standards. In addition, our leadership is expected to be strengthened as we will spearhead global vaccine and bio-related discussions through holding international events including the Global Bio Conference.
Based on our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, a regional outbreak will not stop at a regional level with this level of globalization. Empowering low-and middle-income countries with sufficient health capacity through solving the vaccine inequity issue is a necessary step toward not only protecting Koreans' health but also the health of humanity.
As we become the hub of the global bio-manufacturing workforce training, it is time that we gather our strengths to continue this momentum of advancing health security as the global health leader.
Kwon Deok-cheol is the minister of health and welfare of the Republic of Korea.
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