World Bank seeks $654m for Southeast Asia vaccine manufacturing
World Bank Group aims to mobilise $654m for Southeast Asian vaccine manufacturing and adds seven countries to its Tokyo-based UHC Knowledge Hub.
The story in focus
The World Bank Group said it is mobilising $654 million in public and private financing for vaccine manufacturing in Southeast Asia and expanding its Universal Health Coverage Knowledge Hub to seven more countries, part of an effort to reach 1.5 billion people with health services by 2030.
- The Southeast Asia package includes at least $174 million in public financing and up to $460 million in private capital mobilisation.
- CEPI will provide up to $20 million in catalytic funding and technical expertise; AVPN will mobilise additional public and philanthropic capital.
- Bangladesh, Côte d'Ivoire, Lao PDR, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania join the Hub's second cohort.
Financing for regional vaccine production
Announced in Bangkok, the package is aligned with the ASEAN Vaccine Security and Self-Reliance Initiative, led by Thailand's National Vaccine Institute and supported by the Regionalized Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative. It comprises loans and grants, including at least $174 million in public financing and up to $460 million in private capital mobilisation.
The World Bank Group said it will draw on sovereign financing, IFC investments and MIGA guarantees alongside partner funding and technical assistance. The partnership is also exploring collaboration with the Pandemic Fund on surveillance, laboratory networks and the public health workforce.
According to the Bank, Southeast Asia imports most of the vaccines it procures, leaving countries exposed to global supply disruptions. The initiative is intended to support regional cooperation on procurement, regulatory standards and workforce development.
Health financing hub adds seven countries
A second cohort of the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo will include Bangladesh, Côte d'Ivoire, Lao PDR, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania. The Hub was established with the Government of Japan and the World Health Organization.
It brings health and finance policymakers together for technical support, tools and peer learning, with the aim of raising domestic resources for health, improving spending efficiency and reducing out-of-pocket payments.
The announcements precede a UHC High-Level Forum in Tokyo in December 2026.
How much of the Southeast Asia vaccine financing is public and how much is private?
The package includes at least $174 million in public financing and up to $460 million in private capital mobilisation, within a total of $654 million the World Bank Group aims to mobilise.
Sources & further reading
- Health Works: From Vaccines to Health Budgets, World Bank Group Backs Proven Solutions to Reach 1.5 Billion People ↗worldbank.org
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