Deputy President David Mabuza has admitted that South Africa’s vaccine roll-out is not moving at its speed hoped for. The country had opened several Covid-19 vaccine distribution sites but did not have enough doses for each.
As the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Covid-19 Vaccines chairperson, Mabuza with Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande and International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor, visited the Biovac Institute, earlier today.
Located in Pinelands, Cape Town, the Biovac Institute performs product development, formulation and filling of vaccines, packaging, labelling and cold chain and distribution.
The visit was to assess the facilities capabilities, infrastructure and investments made to support vaccine manufacturing and development.
The country has allocated R10 billion to purchase Covid-19 vaccines with agreements already entered into to acquire the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine.
Mabuza said availability of vaccines remained a struggle for the country.
“In terms of our pace, we seem to be very slow. We are dependent on the manufacturers, when the vaccine is available, we fly it in, (then) we start inoculation. So the challenge that the whole world is facing is availability.
“We are inoculating as we’re speaking, but not at the pace that we want. We have opened a lot of sites, but with very little vaccines in each and every site.
In other news – Menzi Ngubane’s legacy to be celebrated at memorial service
Former Generations star and legendary South African actor Menzi Ngubane’s memorial is set to take place at the Assemblies of God church in Sandton on Thursday, March 18.
The Ngubane family confirmed he died from a stroke earlier on Saturday at his home.
Menzi is survived by his wife, Sikelelwa, and two daughters. Learn more
Source: IOL
