The 2021 Lancet Commission on Diagnosis reported that nearly half of the world's population has limited access to basic diagnostic services. In Africa, less than 5% of diagnostics and less than 1% of vaccines are produced locally. Heavy reliance on external supplies represents a strategic vulnerability. This vulnerability is magnified during a pandemic due to intensified global competition for medical countermeasures. Local production requires more than just technical capacity. It requires policies that shape markets, reduce risk for start-ups and reward local production with guaranteed quality.