A new correspondence published in The Lancet highlights Africa's extreme dependency on imported medical supplies, with the continent producing less than 5% of diagnostics and less than 1% of vaccines used locally. The analysis underscores how this reliance creates strategic vulnerabilities that become magnified during global health emergencies.
The 2021 Lancet Commission on diagnostics previously reported that nearly half of the world's population has limited access to basic diagnostic services. This access gap is particularly acute in Africa, where heavy reliance on external suppliers creates bottlenecks in healthcare delivery and leaves populations vulnerable during supply chain disruptions.