State snubs SA vaccine maker Biovac with switch to imports
‘We are stunned’: the move comes at a significant cost to jobs and the economy, says Biovac CEO Morena Makhoana
SA’s state-backed vaccine manufacturer Biovac has been dealt a blow by the department of health after it switched to a cheaper supplier of shots to protect children against deadly pneumococcal diseases.
While the move may save money for the department, it is at odds with government policies to support domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity and improve the security of supply for both SA and the rest of Africa. The region’s lack of vaccine manufacturing capacity was cast into sharp relief during the pandemic, as it was relegated to the back of the queue when Covid-19 shots became available and governments that had manufacturing capacity prioritised their own populations...
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