SOUTH AFRICA – The Government of South Africa, through the African Renaissance Fund (ARF), has teamed up with the African Vaccination Acquisition Trust (AVAT) to contribute a total of 2,030,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to African countries.

The African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT), a 10-member team drawn from across the continent, was established in August 2020 to ensure that the African continent would be able to secure sufficient COVID-19 vaccine doses to achieve herd immunity.

Chaired by the President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, the AVATT is a key component in support of the Africa Vaccine Strategy that was endorsed by the African Union (AU) Bureau of Heads of State and Government.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation highlighted that the trust aims to secure vaccine doses to complement initiatives such as COVAX and attain a target immunization of 60 per cent of Africa’s population.

The Government office announced on its site that South Africa has deployed 79,200 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines produced at the giant pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Qhebera, South Africa, operated by Aspen Pharma to selected African countries.

The Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation Ms Candith Mashego-Dlamini will travel to Liberia and Sierra Leone to hand over vaccines from 26th September to 30th September 2022,” the office said.

The contribution which will be made to the people of Liberia by the South African Government is expected to deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation with Liberia while enhancing relations with the people and Government of Liberia.

Aspen, Serum Institute of India ink 10-yr vaccine manufacturing pact

Meanwhile, Aspen Pharma has struck a 10-year vaccine manufacturing deal with the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII).

The multinational South African pharmaceutical company will manufacture, market and distribute four Aspen-branded routine vaccines in Africa for a period of ten years excluding certain markets due to the Serum Institute having grated prior rights to third parties.

The company will manufacture and make available four Routine Vaccines for Communicable diseases in Africa namely Pneumococcal Vaccine, Rotavirus Vaccine, Poly valent Meningococcal Vaccine and Hexavalent Vaccine.

Aspen highlighted that the terms of Agreement for the vaccines include a technical transfer and formulation, fill and finish arrangement which grants Aspen SA Operations the rights to manufacture the vaccines from bulk drug substance supplied by the Serum Institute.

The global multinational specialty pharmaceutical company further announced that the vaccines will be produced at Aspen’s manufacturing facility in Gqeberha which has accreditation from a range of stringent international regulatory authorities.

In addition, Aspen SA Operations will make available the four Aspen-branded routine vaccines to markets in Africa particularly through transactions with designated multilateral organisations, national governments of member states of the African Union and other public and private market customers.

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