Process development and manufacturing – CEPI

Report on Vaccine Supply Chain Resilience and Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction: Global Health and Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

The global vaccine manufacturing process is characterized by a highly complex and fragmented supply chain, which presents significant challenges to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3): Good Health and Well-being. The intricate network required for vaccine production is susceptible to constraints and bottlenecks, which can cause critical delays in vaccine access and undermine global health security.

2.0 Analysis of Supply Chain Complexity

The scale of the logistical operation for a single vaccine manufacturing plant highlights its inherent vulnerabilities. Key metrics include:

• Materials: Approximately 9,000 distinct materials are required, ranging from raw biological components to delivery apparatus such as vials and syringes.
• Suppliers: The procurement network involves an average of 300 different suppliers.
• Geography: These suppliers are distributed across 30 countries, creating a dependency on international logistics and trade.

This complexity directly impacts the resilience of the health infrastructure, a core component of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). Fluctuations in supply and demand can lead to significant disruptions, hindering the equitable distribution of life-saving vaccines.

3.0 Strategic Interventions for Supply Chain Enhancement

In response to these challenges, strategic efforts are underway to fortify the vaccine supply chain. These initiatives align with multiple Sustainable Development Goals and are focused on creating a more robust system for global pandemic preparedness.

1. Streamlining Material Availability: Efforts focus on improving the availability of essential materials and equipment. This promotes more sustainable production patterns, contributing to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by reducing waste and inefficiency in the manufacturing process.
2. Fostering Global Partnerships: By connecting suppliers across the world, organizations are facilitating stronger global partnerships. This work is a direct implementation of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), which emphasizes the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration to achieve sustainable development.
3. Building Resilient Infrastructure: Enhancing the efficiency and resilience of supply chains is fundamental to building the resilient infrastructure mandated by SDG 9. A fortified supply chain is better equipped to respond effectively to emerging infectious diseases and support global health objectives.

4.0 Conclusion: Advancing Global Health through Sustainable Supply Chains

Strengthening the vaccine supply chain is a critical undertaking for global health security. By addressing logistical complexities through enhanced coordination and strategic partnerships, these efforts make a direct contribution to achieving SDG 3. The development of a streamlined, efficient, and resilient supply network is essential for ensuring timely and equitable access to vaccines and effectively responding to future health crises.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on vaccine manufacturing supply chains connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by highlighting the intersection of global health, industrial infrastructure, and international cooperation.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This is the most prominent SDG, as the article’s central theme is vaccine manufacturing and access. It directly addresses the need for effective responses to infectious diseases to ensure healthy lives for all.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: The article emphasizes the industrial and infrastructural aspects of vaccine production, such as manufacturing plants, complex supply chains, and logistics. It points to the need for resilient and efficient infrastructure to support global health goals.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The global nature of the vaccine supply chain, involving “300 suppliers, across 30 countries,” and the role of organizations like CEPI in “connecting suppliers across the world” underscore the necessity of global partnerships to achieve health outcomes.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s focus, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.3: “By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.” The article’s goal to “help the world respond more effectively to emerging infectious diseases” directly supports this target.
   • Target 3.8: “Achieve universal health coverage… and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.” The emphasis on “globally accessible vaccine manufacturing” and preventing “delays in access to vaccines” aligns perfectly with this target.
   • Target 3.b: “Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines… provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines…” The entire discussion on streamlining the supply of materials “required for vaccine development and manufacturing” is fundamental to achieving this target.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Target 9.4: “By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency…” The effort to streamline, improve, and enhance “the efficiency and resilience of these supply chains” is a direct application of this target to the pharmaceutical industry.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.16: “Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships…” The description of a supply chain with “9,000 different materials, from 300 suppliers, across 30 countries” illustrates the complex global network that must function as a partnership to succeed.
   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” CEPI’s role in “connecting suppliers across the world” is a clear example of a civil society or public-private partnership working to strengthen global systems.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention official SDG indicators, but it implies several metrics that could be used to measure progress:

• Reduction in Supply Chain Delays: The article identifies that “supply-chain constraints and bottlenecks can cause significant delays in access to vaccines.” Therefore, a key implied indicator is the reduction in the time it takes for vaccines to be manufactured and delivered, measuring the increased efficiency of the supply chain.
• Supply Chain Resilience: The goal of enhancing the “resilience of these supply chains” implies an indicator related to the ability of the manufacturing and supply network to withstand shocks, such as demand fluctuations or disruptions in one of the 30 countries involved, without significant delays.
• Efficiency of Material Sourcing: The complexity of sourcing “9,000 different materials” from “300 suppliers” suggests that an indicator could be the efficiency of this process, measured by cost, time, and reliability of material availability for vaccine manufacturing.
• Strength of Global Partnerships: The mention of CEPI “connecting suppliers across the world” implies that the number and effectiveness of partnerships formed between suppliers, manufacturers, and logistical providers could serve as an indicator of progress towards Target 17.17.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cepi.net