Covid-19 vaccine production threatens routine vaccines in South Africa

Hoarding of raw materials by US and Europe leaves South Africa short

The hoarding of raw materials for Covid-19 vaccines by wealthy manufacturing countries could create supply problems for vaccine manufacturers in South Africa that supply vaccines for other diseases like measles, tetanus and pneumonia, the heads of its national pharmaceutical company, Biovac, has warned.

Morena Makhoana said that US legislation forces raw material producers to prioritise US companies, while there are “stops and starts in terms of threatening supply out of Europe”. The situation could cause South Africa to run out of “routine” vaccines by the end of the year, he said.