This follows a three-day conference held in Geneva, where representatives from seven WHO-designated Regional Training Centres, the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing and international partners met to advance the WHO Biomanufacturing Workforce Training Initiative.
The meeting marked the first in-person gathering of partners since the centres were designated earlier in 2026 and focused on aligning priorities, strengthening cooperation and supporting workforce development across regions.
WHO Head of Product Policies, Access and Manufacturing Support Unit Dr Jicui Dong said building sustainable biomanufacturing capacity requires more than infrastructure and technology. Dong said a skilled workforce, strong institutions and long-term partnerships are essential to translate innovation into reliable local production and improved access to health products.
The initiative is designed to strengthen workforce capacity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, through a coordinated approach that combines WHO training programmes, the Global Training Hub in South Korea and a network of regional centres. Together, these structures aim to deliver high-quality, standards-based training tailored to regional needs.
The seven Regional Training Centres, located in Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Ireland, Senegal and South Africa, will play a key role in delivering training and supporting knowledge exchange across all WHO regions. Participants discussed how these centres can operate as a global network while responding to local priorities.
Progress under the initiative has already been significant. Since 2022, the Global Training Hub has trained nearly 4 000 participants from 79 countries, while WHO-supported programmes have reached more than 14 000 professionals across 118 countries since 2020.
Discussions at the conference also highlighted the need to adapt workforce development to evolving technologies, including digitalisation, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing systems. Strengthening expertise in regulatory processes, quality management and supply chains was identified as critical.
Participants emphasised the importance of partnerships between governments, industry and academic institutions to ensure training programmes remain relevant and sustainable. The WHO Academy also outlined efforts to support lifelong learning and improve consistency in training standards.
–WHO/ChannelAfrica–
