The vaccine from Dollvet in Turkey will be distributed to provinces in the next few days. This is the first shipment of a 6-million-dose order placed with Dollvet through its local agents Dunevax.

“It needs to be made clear that the department has procured all matched vaccines currently available on the international market, and we have ensured that we have access to a steady supply,” said John Steenhuisen.

The vaccine from Dollvet in Turkey will be distributed to provinces in the next few days. Photo: Louis Trichardt SPCA

“We will push forward to make sure that we achieve our goal – vaccinate the national herd to achieve World Organisation of Animal Health recognition of FMD-free status with vaccination. This will allow us to access international markets for South African red meat that have been closed for decades due to FMD.”

Building on this progress, an order for an additional 5-million doses from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina has been placed by Onderstepoort Biological Products.

Steenhuisen is pushing forward to achieve an FMD-free status for SA. Photo: Facebook

This consignment of vaccines will arrive in the country in two batches, 3.5-million and 1.5-million doses respectively, as soon as the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority approves the Section 21 application for the importation thereof.

The allocation of the latest shipment of Dollvet vaccines will be distributed to provinces based on the amended risk policy as follows:

• Eastern Cape: 135 400 doses
• Free State: 182 400 doses
• Gauteng: 124 800 doses
• KwaZulu-Natal: 192 000 doses
• Limpopo: 150 000 doses
• Mpumalanga 144 000 doses
• Northern Cape: 100 000 doses
• North West: 182 400 doses
• Western Cape: 150 000 doses

In order to effectively manage the vaccine rollout, the department of agriculture is implementing a scientific, targeted allocation strategy based on animal risk and population figures.

OFM Agri/Isabel van Tonder sm

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