Anger, shock and despair have been felt on the continent as vaccine supplies trickle in
A Dis-Chem pharmacy in Rosebank, Johannesburg. Picture: FINANCIAL MAIL
Less than 2% of the continent’s people have been vaccinated. This contrasts with countries of the global north such as the UK, where vaccination levels are so high that the adult population is considered fully vaccinated. Aspen is manufacturing what we know as the J&J vaccine for distribution in SA and the continent beyond. This vaccine’s one-shot dosage is particularly important in settings where other vaccines cannot be used because there is no infrastructure to store them in the freezing cold chain needed to keep them active and effective.
Around the world there are shortages of raw materials for vaccines, manufacturing supplies — from cell-culture media to filters, vials and stoppers — and skilled staff such as laboratory technicians, maintenance crews, quality controllers and trainers. All of these and more are in huge demand for vaccine production.
On a continent where some countries are already struggling to meet the UN sustainable development goals, it is vital not to lose more time in rolling out vaccines, to the people of Southern Africa and Africa as a whole.
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